Bared to You

Synopsis from Goodreads:


"Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness..." 
He was 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... 

Let’s start by saying whether you liked Fifty Shades of Grey or not, you should read this book. I had mixed feelings about reading Bared to You because I saw it on a lot of sites/lists as a suggested book if you loved Fifty.  I’m glad I tried it out because I loved it.

What Fifty lacks in terms of characterization and story-telling, Bared to You more than meets my expectations and that’s all of the comparison I’m willing to give. I know others will make comparisons, but this book is so much more and should be reviewed as the standout it is.

The characters of Eva Tramell and Gideon Cross are complex and multi-layered. Day only begins peeling their layers and leaves the reader with the heart pounding expectation of more. Eva is strong willed and determined. Although she is battling issues from her past, she is coping and she knows what she wants in the future. Gideon is equally complex, although his demons haven’t been worked out, we know they are there. Gideon is used to getting what he wants and he wants Eva. He isn’t a creepy male lead. He is determined, headstrong and of course he’s hot as hell. He also respects Eva and her issues and he is willing to give her what she needs.

 Eva is a recent graduate and she has moved to New York with her best friend Cary Taylor to start her career at an advertising agency. She meets Gideon in a chance encounter at the Crossfire building, the building they both work.

Gideon begins his pursuit of Eva but makes it clear he doesn’t have any inclination for anything more than a sexual relationship. Eva naturally balks, she is open to a friends with benefits arrangement but she needs more, such as knowing and respecting her partner. As Eva keeps denying Gideon, he wants her more and agrees to her demands. They begin a relationship that has both of them wanting more from the other and as their relationship progresses, Eva is forced to confront the demons of her past while knowing Gideon is hiding demons of his own.

This is the first Sylvia Day book I’ve read and I will definitely check out her other works. She is a phenomenal writer. She gave the novel two incredibly complex and screwed up characters and she made them believable and lovable. Her writing style is fast-paced and she gives attention to the details.

Yes, there is sex, lots of smokin’ hot sex but that’s not all this book is about. There are dinners and romance and there are the deeper emotional issues that Day zones in on which give the characters the intensity that is the heart of Bared to You.

My final thoughts are I loved this book. I usually stay within the bounds of contemporary or regency romance and I’m so glad I stepped out and read this. I loved every minute of it and Reflected in You (the second book in the trilogy, due out in October) has now made its way to the top of my can’t wait for list.