Bared to You by Sylvia DaySeries: Crossfire #1
Published by: Berkley Trade on April 3, 2012
Genre: Contemporary, Erotica, Romance
Pages: 362
Source: Purchased
Buy on Amazon • Book Details
Rating: ★★★★½
Our journey began in fire...
Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness—beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily...
Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other's most private wounds... and desires.
The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart...
The first thing I noticed about Bared to You was that the writing is phenomenal! This is one of those books where I feel like I need to quote every other line because they’re all loaded with power, meaning, and intensity! And on top of that, the dialogue was hilarious! The main character Eva is brilliantly witty and her lines in particular had me cracking up!
Since the synopsis doesn’t really tell you much about the plot of the book, I’ll go over it briefly. The story is about 24-year-old Eva. She moves to New York City to be closer to her wealthy mother and stepfather. She starts a new job and that’s where she meets Gideon—an extremely wealthy, young bachelor. At first, he’s only interested in sex, but he becomes so captivated by Eva that he wanders into the unknown: an exclusive relationship. But both Eva and Gideon have demons and traumatic pasts that threaten to tear them apart.
So it sounds very Fifty Shades of Grey, right? Well, it’s about a million times better. I feel like Bared to You is what Fifty Shades of Grey should have been. It has the same plot elements: controlling billionaire changes his playboy ways and falls in love with girl. But Bared to You is hot, passionate, sexy—NOT disturbing—, emotionally devouring, beautifully written, and all kinds of incredible… everything Fifty Shades wasn’t (for me).
You know what my favourite part is about Bared to You? Eva isn’t a blubbering idiot. She’s not some silly naïve girl who says two words and just lays back while some controlling guy fucks her. No. She takes control. She’s witty, extremely intelligent, funny, and has a controlling interest in the relationship. Hell, the first time they had sex, she was on top. She initiated it. And even from the way Eva speaks, you can tell she’s intelligent. She certainly knows how to hold her own amidst some playful banter.
“I’ll be sure to clear my schedule by five.” He resumed eating, completely at ease with the fact that we’d both just penciled mind-blowing sex into our mental day calendars.
Page 121, Bared to You
Eva and Gideon had both the most dysfunctional and most functional relationship I’ve ever read. Both these people are broken. They have dark, hidden pasts that haunt them day and night. For Eva, it means her self esteem is broken and shattered. For Gideon, it means he craves control and power. Put these two broken beings together and you get an intense, passionate chaos. But on the other hand, this is one of the few relationships I’ve read about where the couple actually communicates. Imagine that! They don’t play games with each other. If one of them is pissed off, they’ll say, “I don’t like seeing you with another girl. It makes me jealous and uncomfortable.” If Eva gets frustrated and leaves, Gideon gets upset and says, “I don’t like it when you run away. It makes me feel broken and alone.” PEOPLE, THEY’RE COMMUNICATING!!
“We don’t fight, angel. We just have to learn not to scare the hell out of each other.”
Page 248, Bared to You
Eva and Gideon voice their opinions, fears, hopes, dreams, frustrations, and anything else on their mind! If they’re feeling it, they say it. They talk about going to couples therapy to work through their issues together. They sit down and have heart-to-heart talks. They work out the kinks in their relationship. So sure, Gideon may be a bit of a crazy, power-hungry control freak and Eva may have severe jealousy and self-esteem problems, but they know they have those issues and they work them out like a proper couple. Most of the time in books, the couple just plays mind games with each other and expects the other person to be a mind reader. This is not the case in Bared to You! Talk about refreshing.
And if it wasn’t obvious, this book was HOT. Freaking hot. Unbelievably hot. One of the most intensely hot books I’ve read in a while.. and that’s saying something!
Romance isn’t in my repertoire, Eva. But a thousand ways to make you come are. Let me show you.
Page 42, Bared to You
Despite my intense enjoyment of this book, I do have two issues, both centered around the fact that Bared to You felt more like a “part one” of one book rather than the first book in a series. There were a few things that were introduced in the book that never really got resolved. We meet Gideon’s family, but nothing develops with them. We learn that Gideon clearly has some abuse or trauma in his past, but he never comes forward about it. It would have been okay if at least Eva made some sort of official declaration of acceptance of the fact that Gideon wasn’t ready to talk about it, but I felt like the whole issue was just ignored. And finally, I wasn’t completely satisfied with the ending. It wasn’t bad, but I feel like it literally just got cut off mid-book. There wasn’t an epic showdown or a huge resolution of some kind.
I’m sure all my issues will be addressed in the second book, but I feel like there still should have been more of a wrap-up in Bared to You.
Even so, this book was absolutely phenomenal. It was hot, sexy, emotional, intense, gritty, dark, and absolutely mind-blowing! It’s safe to say I’m running out to buy the next book—Reflected in You—immediately!
The Verdict
OoOoOo I freaking loved this book (and the second). and yes it was insanely and smoking HOT!! Gideon was incredible super alpha-male awesomeness and the sex scenes… OMG!!!
I just hate that they pushed back the release of the third book ;( it was December and now it’s freaking march!
And to think we could have been reading it so soon… 🙁 Grr!!
Ooh this sounds good! I saw it on Netgalley and after the failed 50 Shades I was scared it would be just like it but if you say it’s what 50 Shades should have been, I’m definitely intrigued! I can’t deal with disturbing and gross tampon sex scenes…. I’m actually going to go see if it’s still on NG! >.<
Haha! 50 Shades scarred me too. But Bared to You has all the hotness but minus the creepiness, minus the weird sex contract, and definitely minus the tampon sex!! I hated 50 Shades but totally loved Bared to You!
Thank you for the review.I do agree with you that alot of people were mention to it because of FSOG but in my opinion these two books are in a way completely different. You have to read book two its way better than the first one 🙂
I know, right! The very very basic overall plot is similar, but it’s all in the details! The books have completely different vibes.
Yes it is and i am still trying to say it out loud that they are indeed different and even better! I hope you will try the audiobooks as well..I have pushed everything back because of them last week (yeah i know my obsession came back a little and hit me hard lol)
OMG I bet the audiobooks are freaking amazing!!
Oh yes there is! Not sure if you are a fan of audiobooks but in these books you MUST try them..
I haven’t really listened to that many audiobooks to have a strong opinion on them. Maybe I’ll give it a go! I have been doing a lot of bus travel lately but I can’t read on buses or else it makes me nauseous.. audiobooks would be a great solution!
Because i have listen to them i suggest you NOT to listen to them when you travel.. and when you are in puplic in general hehe!
Hahahah!! Good point!
Dont say i didnt warned you 😉
Oh my… I like the quote on Page 121! 🙂
I like that Eva and Gideon aren’t playing games with each other. They seem to be characters that I can relate to. Thanks for the review!
Oh wow, this does sound like what Fifty Shades should have been. I am a little reluctant because of the similar premise but if it has great writing and a stong female character, I am all over it.
Great review.
I hope you still check it out! I know the plots look almost identical at a quick glance, but Bared to You is JUST SO FREAKING YUMMY!!! I think you’ll love it. 😛
I think I’m one of the very few people who haven’t read Shades of Grey – yet. A friend of mine wanted them for her birthday, so I’m probably going to borrow them some time next year. However, by now I’ve heard more bad than good about them, so I think it’s good you say this is what Shades should’ve been. Made me very curious. And the quotes you picked! *fg* This will be going onto my tbr, thank you very much! =)
If you want to read a hot, sexy book with the girl-meets-billionaire plot line, I definitely recommend Bared to You over Fifty Shades! It might be worth reading Fifty Shades just because it’s so controversial and if you’re like me, sometimes you just want to be able to form an opinion. But Bared to You is a million times better. The characters have so much more depth, the writing is great, and there are zero disturbing scenes! The way I see it:
Fifty Shades of Grey = Creepy, disturbing, with sex.
Bared to You = Emotional, hot, sexy
There are obviously sex scenes in Fifty Shades but I was just disturbed and disgusted by most of them. A girl being spanked and beaten *sort of* against her will doesn’t really turn me on LOL. But Bared to You has hot, delicious, yummy sex that won’t gross you out or make you run away scared.. and no creepy tampon period sex scenes *shudder* (maybe you’ve heard about that part? LOL)
OMG, yuck! I haven’t heard about tampon sex scenes. Yikes! Now I’m definitively going to be reluctant about that read, might even cancel it. I gonna check back with my friend on that front. I’m already guessing she won’t like it that much, either. *sigh*
And I’m looking forward even more to Bared to You. It sounds so yummy, exactly what I need right now…
Thanks, Ashley! =)
Haha wow. I was reading your summary and I thought, “Sounds like Fifty Shades,” and then you got to the nitty gritty and I guess it makes sense that you really liked it.
I think what makes me want to read this the most is that the characters actually talk to each other. For the longest, I was beginning to think I was the only one to notice that whenever there is a couple in a book, they just play weird tricks on each other and never actually function or have a conversation. Strangest. Thing Ever. But that this book lacks that REALLY excites me! 😀
/adds to TBR.
I know, right?? It bothers me so much when couples don’t communicate. It’s like I zoom in on it. Maybe it’s because my boyfriend and I kind of rock at communicating so I can’t help but think, “Why can’t other people do it too?”
Gideon and Eva definitely don’t have a perfect relationship but Eva is very aware of her problems and tries to work through them (via therapy, communication, and trying not to throw herself into destructive situations). Gideon is less awesome at it, but part of the book is about Eva trying to help him work through it.
I REALLY hope you like it Sierra!! I personally hated Fifty Shades but Bared to You was awesome! None of that “sign a contact to become my sex slave” crap! LOL.
Love your comment about what 50 shades could have been.
Happy reading,
Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog
I’m new to this genre, but I read and LOVED On Dublin Street and am looking for more books like it. Bared to You sounds really good, and I’ve heard (and your review confirmed) that it’s much better than Fifty Shades of Grey, which I have not read yet because I was turned off by too much hype. I think I’ll have to treat myself to Bared to You on my Kindle, though… it’s been on my wishlist for awhile!
By the way, I love your “Upcoming Reviews” box in the upper left corner of your blog… you are so organized! I am really looking forward to your review of “The Sea of Tranquility” because I recently found out about that book and it sounds amazing!
Thanks Sarah! I definitely recommend Bared to You for a followup to On Dublin Street! I read those two books right after each other and I know that if you liked On Dublin Street, you’ll love Bared to You! Some people love Fifty Shades and some people hate it.. I was one of the ones who hated it. Bared to You has the exact same broad storyline as Fifty Shades (young adult falls in love with slightly older, somewhat controlling billionaire), but everything about it is so much better. There’s no creepiness, no guy spanking her while she cries helplessly (ugh), and the sex is even hotter!!
I think you’ll really love it! 🙂
Also, The Sea of Tranquility was AMAZING!! Talk about heart-wrenching.. I cried my eyes out for the last part of the book! It’s so powerful!
I bought it and started it last night… so far, lots of tense elevator rides! I think I’ll eventually get around to reading 50 Shades just to see what all the hype was about, but it’s not on my “priority TBR list.”
(By the way, I like how I get an email when you respond to my comments… sometimes I forget to check back on blog posts to see if the bloggers have responded when I leave comments, so this makes it much easier :-).)
Yeah I know what you mean! Sometimes I like to read controversial books just to be able to form my own opinion on them.
And I’m really glad you like that feature! I LOVE when other blogs have it, which is why I got it for mine. I comment on so many blogs that it’s hard to keep track and go back on my own to see if I got a reply.
Every time I reach for this book, something in my head screams “You hated 50 Shades.” I need to overcome my fear of that, because Bared To You sounds just amazing. Thanks for the quotes!
I’m supposed to be reading this for my book club this month but had been put off by how “50 Shades” it sounded. Man that was one awful book! But your review makes me think I should probably give it a chance and start reading! Thanks for that. 🙂