Cruel Paradise (Beautifully Cruel) Paperback – September 29, 2020

Just like the man at the center of it, this book is INTENSE, and mysterious, and sexy, and a little dirty, and filled with so much heart that you won't be able to handle it. I've been wanting Killian's book for a long time, and this did not disappoint. He's a crazy unique character that you'll have all kinds of feelings about, but underneath it all, he's a tender, loving guy... with a dark side. While this is very much a dark romance with plenty of suspense, heartache, and sheer intensity, it's also SO funny. The first half is just straight up humor, with some seriously compelling banter and chemistry that sparks off the page. Jules is Killian's perfect complement, and the two of them together are steamy goodness. While there were moments in this where I wanted to wring both characters' necks, that's all part of Killian's appeal. He's an infuriatingly sexy guy and this definitely showcases every side of his personality.Can you read this as a standalone? Kind of. If you go into this blind, I have to imagine that it's going to be a somewhat confusing, much more mysterious read - but it can be done. I've read nearly every one of this author's books, so I had the pleasure of meeting Killian several books ago. He's always been this fascinating character on the sidelines, and now it's his turn to shine. This is intense romance, featuring an antihero with a dark side and a woman who is disgusted with herself by being attracted to him. That's right; this is a forbidden romance of sorts a la Romeo and Juliet, where our heroine is disheartened by her immediate attraction to a man who is by all accounts a bad guy. There's a push/pull, love/hate dynamic to this relationship and it makes for an engaging read.I was drawn in from the very first page and that did not change until the very end. There's something inherently engrossing about the storyline that will draw you in, and just as I was getting ready to throw my Kindle against a wall, the tension would dissipate for a moment. It's got a little of everything, with an antihero who will melt your heart and heat up your Kindle at the same time. Yes, this is an intense romance with steamy scenes that match our antihero's personality. It's an entirely devourable read, and I cannot wait to see what this author writes next.

I’ll start this review by saying that I didn’t like Beautifully Cruel (see that page for my critical review). I read this book because I loved Killian in the Dangerous Beauty series, and he was the highlight of Beautifully Cruel for me. I’ll try to keep this review succinct and spoiler-free. I do recommend this book, but it’s not perfect (I could nit pick quite a few things). Ultimately, I was satisfied by the storyline and author’s style. No one reads romance novels for their being phenomenal literature, so I rarely give anything in this genre 5 stars. Just being real here. I also can’t help the frequent comparisons to Book 1.PROS:- Some really beautiful and quotable insights from the author. It’s something that brings me back to JT’s work even when I struggle with 1st person POV (my preference is 3rd person romance) and the story elements in her books that I don’t enjoy. JT is clearly intelligent and well-read.- Great, funny banter between the 2 leads in the first half/slow burn to the smut. I was so happy and engaged during this portion of the book. Honestly wish it could’ve gone on longer.- Killian believably explains why he’s drawn to Juliet. He’s open from the start and clearly much more than a dark, mysterious figure.- 2 leads who are more compelling and likeable than those in Book 1. They are both flawed, have failings, and admit to them. Killian is *never* an a-hole alpha male. I don’t find 100% domineering alphas to be the pinnacle of sexiness, so Killian was much preferable to Liam in so so many ways for me.- Killian is smarter, more well-rounded, and romantic than Liam.- Declan has more personality in this book, and that was great. Generally, the supporting characters are crafted better in this book than the first of the series.- The book is largely written from Juliet’s POV, but Killian’s bits are far and away greater than Liam’s in Book 1. We even get some lovely insights from Liam himself that were missing from Book 1.- The author addresses/explains a seeming continuity error between the Dangerous Beauty Series and Beautifully Cruel. Big thank you from me for this because it pulled me out of Beautifully Cruel.- Juliet’s realization of the depth of her feelings was dramatic in the BEST way. I just really really liked that part of the book.- Smut ranging from tender to rough and dirty but without spanking, slapping of genitalia, or anal.- No kidnapping, Stockholm Syndrome, or dubiously consensual sex. Props to the author for sneakily addressing these unseemly aspects of Book 1 in a way that feels like she’s validating my qualms with Book 1.CONS:- Totally unrealistic mafia storyline. Sorry not sorry, it’s true, and I’m not going to detail or harp on it here.- Killian’s hand around Juliet’s throat during the make-out and smutty scenes still always rubbed me the wrong way, even though he explained why at the beginning. Just not my jam. Hair-pulling is also not my jam, but I could overlook it given the aspects of the smut that I *did* like in the PROS.- Rushed/forced ending (neatly tying up loose ends) like Book 1.- Killian is a BIT over-the-top obsessed with his pacing and stalking behaviors, but I will give him some slack due to the evidence of his restraint and respect for Juliet throughout the book.Final thought: In the context of being satisfied with book 2, I struggle with recommending Book 1 (to give context to book 2). I feel like I get whiplash reading JT’s books. I love about half of them I’ve read and find the other half revolting and/or cringe-worthy. If you liked the Dangerous Beauty series, I think you’ll enjoy this book. I was tickled by the handful references to Eva and Naz (even if they were never explicitly named). I’m so happy that Killian got his HEA. This is a fun read and well-worth the time.P.S. No overt references to the Princess Bride! Did JT read my Beautifully Cruel review and expressly leave it out? Jk. I’m not so self-involved to believe this, but it makes me laugh all the same.

Beautiful love story. Loved the joy, laughter, angst, and spice between Killian and Juliet. Unlike Shakespeare, their love is not extinguished but flourishes with time.

Absolutely loved this duel book collection, fun romance and grit all in one . Love the twin brothers and tru and Juliet ❤️ didn’t want it to end

Loved all the dialogues: between the girls, between the brothers, between Declan and Killian, between him and Julliet. Incredible writing! It's not a question about who J.T. Geissinger is, it's about what she is: a super talented author.

Owwww meu Deus o que são esses irmãos gêmeos Liam e Killian fucking Black.... que homens mais deliciosos, intensos, apaixonantes... são machos alfas maravilhosos, escuros, possessivos mas com o coração enorme para suas mocinhas....amei essa série com esses 2 livros...uma história um pouco diferente da máfia que conhecemos, mas que amei ler... não queria que terminasse!!!A química, tensão sexual entre os protagonistas dos 2 livros é uma coisa que transcende o livro e faz arrepiar a pele...livro bom é assim, que te faz sentir tudo, te queimar por inteira...Não sei qual é o meu preferido dos gêmeos, pois ambos estão guardados numa caixinha dentro do meu coração para sempre!!! Já estão no ranking de meus top fives rsrsrsQuanto as mocinhas, eu gostei mais da Tru, pq Juliet foi muito irritante a maior parte do livro, embora eu entenda as reservas dela, tinha momentos que queria voar no pescoço dela e torcer kkkkk meu coração fica em pedaços pelo Killian...mas depois eu adorei ver os 2 juntos para valer!!!!!Agora tem 2 personagens masculinos Declan e Diego que queria muito ler um livro para cada... personagens misteriosos, fortes e intensos...os livros com certeza iam faiscar rsrsrs

I cannot even start to write how much I enjoyed this book. I was on high trepidation every time the two were together, bantering constantly, loving every encounter. The amount of restraint, love, respect that he has for her is equivalent to her ambivalent feelings for her. The relationships between all are so nicely developed. But I craved to read more about Liam and Killian together with their ladies as the book ended. A total rollercoaster ride. So much fun. And sassy dialogues are just superb. Thank you for a fantastic book.