Bared to You: A Crossfire Novel (Crossfire Book 1) [Kindle Edition]

I don't normally like to compare books in my reviews because I prefer to look at them on their own merit but because this was recommended for fans of Fifty Shades of Grey I'm going to make a comparison this time. I'm one of those people who ended up completely addicted to FSoG, I had a lot of problems with the writing style - the constant repetitions, the bad grammar and the poor editing to name a few - but I could not put it down and devoured the entire trilogy in record time.

I needed something to fill the FSoG shaped hole in my life and Bared to You was highly recommended. It is another book that was originally self published by the author and has now been picked up by a major publishing house after it became a big hit on Amazon and there is no doubt in my mind that it will appeal to FSoG fans. In my opinion Bared to You is a million times better that FSoG in a lot of ways - Sylvia Day's writing is so much better, there are no conversations with the inner goddess that made me want to scream, I liked Eva a lot more than Ana and the sex scenes are much hotter. So you'd rightfully be thinking that I'd recommend the story to FSoG fans.

However, I can't say I found it quite as addictive as FSoG. Yes, I devoured Bared to You. Yes, I stayed up until 5am in the morning because I couldn't but it down. Yes, I am definitely going to be reading the next two books in the series. Yes, I did fall for Gideon but I don't love him quite as much as I love Christian. Perhaps that will change as I get to know him better throughout the next two books but we'll have to wait and see. I still can't stop thinking about FSoG even though it has been nearly two months since I finished reading it and I don't know what I would have done with myself if the next two books hadn't been available for me to devour immediately afterwards. While I'm excited that I only have to wait until October for Deeper in You that wait isn't going to kill me. I have to say that I love both books as much as each other but in different ways, neither FSoG or Bared to You is perfect but they are both compelling and not to be missed.

One of the things I liked most about Bared to You was the fact that Eva and Gideon are both as messed up as each other. They both have terrible issues from their pasts that have deeply effected the way they behave in the present. This seems much more realistic to me and I like the fact that they are both going to have to deal with their past and make changes to their attitudes if they want to have a chance at a successful relationship. This isn't a case of one person having to "fix" the other, it's a case of two deeply hurt individuals who might have a chance at healing each others pain and working towards a happy future together.

As much as I loved the email exchanges between Ana and Christian in FSoG I loved the banter between Eva and Christian even more. I love the way she is adult enough to stand up to him face to face or over the phone. She is no simpering virgin but rather someone who knows exactly what she wants and how to get it. Gideon is very possessive and should come with a stalker warning, especially at the beginning of the story, but Eva won't put up with any of his crap and in her own way she behaves just as badly at times with her own jealousy problems. Gideon is rich, powerful and successful, sexy as sin as well as dark and dangerous - I don't know many women who wouldn't find themselves attracted to him. The chemistry between him and Eva is intense and the pages literally sizzle when they are in a room together. Their journey may not be an easy one but you feel like they have something worth fighting for.

If you're looking for a scorching hot contemporary erotic story with a gritty romance between two damaged people then I'd highly recommend Bared to You. I'll be eagerly awaiting the next instalment and in the meantime I'm definitely planning on checking out some of Sylvia Day's other books.

On the front cover of my book there's a little sticker that says, "If you liked Fifty Shades of Grey, you'll love this." Well, I loved Fifty Shades so I knew I wanted to read this, especially if it was being compared to this but you know what I didn't expect? I didn't expect to love Bared to You more, but I did. So...move over Christian Grey and make way for Gideon Cross!

Wow....just wow. I can't believe how much I loved this book and I'm kicking myself for not reading it sooner. This book is always going to be compared to Fifty Shades of Grey, they have the same rich, hot, alpha male's with troubled pasts and female's that can bring the males to their knees, but the different is there's no BDSM relationship. Now before you Fifty Shades of Grey haters start, Bared to You is so much more than Fifty and you may find that, if you try this you might enjoy it too, so don't be put off by all the Fifty talk.

What I loved about this book was the fact that it felt very realistic. Eva isn't a innocent girl that doesn't know about sex, she's a women that had a troubled past and she like to be in control of her life. She won't settle for being controlled by her family or Gideon. I loved that about her. I loved that she won't allow Gideon to control her but instead, makes him see her as an equal. Now Gideon, he's a rich, powerful young man who loves to be in control in and out of bed. Eva really changes his life, he finds it hard to let people in because of his dark secrets he is hiding and boy, do I want to know his secrets. Despite Eva and Gideon's obstacles, I really think they make a fantastic couple. I'm really rooting for them and I'm very eager to see what the next two books have in store for them.

The story itself is heart-wrenching, packed with emotions and passionate scenes. It's beautiful and touching and let's not forget the hot scenes between Eva and Gideon. Sparks literally fly off the pages when you read this book and it will leave you begging for more.

If I haven't convinced you to read this book yet, then I'll leave you my three favourite quotes...ENJOY!

1) "I can't go long without you either, Eva. You're an addiction...my obsession..." - Gideon

2) "I'm an animal with you," he murmured. "I want to mark you. I want to possess you so completely there's no separation between us." - Gideon

3) "You forget who submits, Eva," he said gruffly. "I've given up control for you. I've bent and adjusted for you. I'll do anything to keep you and make you happy. But I can't be tamed or topped. Don't mistake indulgence for weakness." - Gideon

Firstly I have to confess that I haven't finished it yet, but I felt the need to write something, though that might be because I have only had four hours sleep. I bought the novel yesterday, started it at around 10.30pm expecting to be falling asleep within half an hour but at 2.30am I was still reading until my husband 'suggested' I turn the light out. When he came back into the bedroom after his shower at 6.40 this morning to find me reading my Kindle again he asked me if I was reading Fifty Shades of Grey and I told him it was something better.

This has humour, an admission of lust that develops into more; it feels real and I have developed a bond with the characters, not just a desire to know what will happen next, how far they will go. I'm only half way through, so it could all be downhill from here, but if you like a good novel and are not embarrassed reading about sex, then you should read it.
Have to keep this short as need a comfort break and a coffee before I go back to another session - could someone ring my husband and ask him to bring me some eye drops home because I'll probably need them later; oh! and a take-away!