Monday, October 9, 2017

Release Day Review: Brave & Beautiful by Elizabeth Varlet




Blurb:

Sexy, seductive and hiding dark secrets, the Sassy Boyz return to the stage in Brave & Beautiful



There’s only one relationship that matters to Tameron "Tam" Kis—his love affair with dance. Life’s been pretty shitty, but dance got him through it and now he’s ready to focus on what he loves. He doesn’t have the bandwidth for any distractions—especially not his sexy, not-quite-straight new neighbor.

Driver Ellis doesn’t need anything but his bike and the open road. He wouldn’t trade his drifter lifestyle for anything…until his friend calls in a favor and Driver suddenly finds himself pet-sitting. Driver isn’t thrilled being stuck in one place, though things start to look up when he sets eyes on the gorgeous girl next door. 

There’s just one problem… She isn’t a girl at all.

All it takes is one spontaneous dance to turn both Driver's and Tam’s worlds upside down. They might not have been looking for love, but as things heat up between them, it’s clear life has very different plans.






4.5 Stars!!!

First of all, I have to say this series has some of the most gorgeous covers I've seen and the one for Brave & Beautiful is my favorite of the three. It's stunning! While this book can technically be read as a standalone, there's an ongoing storyline following the Sassy Boyz and you don't want to miss on the first two books, trust me. You won't regret it. 

Tam is the Sassy Boyz choreographer and he's had a very hard life. I felt so bad for him when I read what he had to endure from a very young age at the hands of both his mother and stepfather. *cuddles Tam* He's femme and fabulous, brave and strong and beautiful. 

Driver has been running almost half his life, hoping that his guilt won't catch up with him to no avail. Meeting Tam wasn't what he expected, especially since he thought Tam was a woman at first. The attraction between them was swift and intense, and soon, Driver is finding reasons to stay, even if he knows he'll have to leave at some point.

I loved Driver. He was really patient and sweet with Tam. Yes, he had his own issues that he'd never worked on and he was really stubborn about not facing them, but at the same time, my heart broke for him. Going through something like he did at 14 is not easy and he didn't have the maturity to deal with it then, and afterward, it was easier just to run from it. I loved Tam, too, he was so resilient. I loved that he was able to work through everything he went through and come out stronger in the end. There were a few instances in which I wanted to shake him up a bit, though. After how patient Driver was with him, I would've have expected Tam to be the same way and I was a bit disappointed when he wasn't... at first. I have to admit that Tam more than made up for it, though. The chemistry between Driver and Tam was unbelievable, and I adored that it was tinged with something more, something deeper as they got to know each other. Another thing I loved was how much of a non-issue Tam's crossdressing and Driver's bisexuality were, that was refreshing.

It was great catching up with the Sassy Boyz and their partners and I hope we'll get the rest of the guys' stories as well.

This was a bit of a slow-burn, which was perfect for Tam and Driver considering the circumstances. I adored the progression, even if sometimes it felt like they would move one step forward and two steps back. My only real complaint is that the ending was a bit rushed, I was expecting a bit more and then it was over. *pouts* Still, Brave & Beautiful was a fantastic addition to the series and I'm pretty sure you all will love it as much as I did. Very recommendable! 

*** Copy provided to the reviewer by Carina Press via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***


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