Book Review: "Bared to You" by Sylvia Day

Bared to You by Sylvia Day (Crossfire #1)
Berkley Publishing
2012

Format: e-book

First Line(s): "We should head to a bar and celebrate."  I wasn't surprised by my roommate's emphatic pronouncement.  Cary Taylor found excuses to celebrate, no matter how small and inconsequential.  I'd alwasy considered it part of his charm.  "I'm sure drinking the night before starting a new job is a bad idea."

Synopsis from Goodreads: “If I were to recommend any book today to readers who enjoyed 50 Shades…this would be the first one I would offer….scorching love scenes.”—Dear Author

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

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...

My Thoughts:  I read this following the 50 Shades of Grey series.  These are not typically my "normal" type of read, however I had to see what all the hype was about.  This series was recommended to me by a friend after I told her that the 50 Shades of Grey books annoyed me due to the whiny heroine in the books.


The plot of this book is a little too similar to the 50 shades of grey books.  But it also had its differences which in my opinion made it a tad better than the 50 shades books.

Similarities:

• The hero (Gideon Cross) is a late 20's, tall, dark and irresistibly handsome billionaire, afraid of commitment, until he meets Eva.
• Gideon needs to be in control and is very obsessive when it comes to the heroine, Eva Tramell.  Very jealous personality as the book continues in both the hero and heroine.  Gideon maintains friendships with past lovers which Eva cannot tolerate.
• Everything with Gideon is sex...its always the matter of topic and on his mind non-stop.
• Gideon has commitment issues due to being abused as a small child.  He is not into relationships, but Eva is different.  With her he desires more than just sex, he wants her commitment to him - to give her the title all women dream of....girlfriend.
• TONS of sex...

Differences:

• There are no contracts, BDSM (yet anyway, they reference some remarks about it, but as of the end of this book there is none of that taking place).
• Eva is jealous, but no where near as whiney as Ana was.  She is able to communicate and speak her mind.  She is way more confident than Ana, but with anyone who dates a young, handsome, billionaire, she is constantly wondering why he is so into her when he can have anyone he desires.
• Both Gideon and Eva were abused sexually as children (at least I assume Gideon was based on my interpretation of what I read).  This shapes the characters into the people that they are and how they handle their relationship and take it to new levels.
• TONS of sex...only more graphic and more of it than 50 Shades.  Christian Grey doesn't hold a candle to Gideon in my opinion.

This book is primarily porn, but it does have a story and plot.   Gideon and Eva provide a wild ride and a compelling story about obsession, lust, and heavy burdens from their troubled pasts.  I hope Book 2 of the series, Reflected in You, will give some more insight on Gideon's past and solve the mystery of what causes his horrific nightmares and hidden secrets.

Bared to You gets 3.8 stars.