BLURB
A ROMANTIC SUSPENSE NOVEL. No one knew a woman lived there or that she even existed. A monster, living in darkness...
At twenty-six, Nicole doesn't even look human anymore. The beast made sure of that. So she hides. A monster consigned to a life of fear and solitude. This is all she deserves, she is quite sure of that.
And then one day out of the blue, the autographed baseball caught by Brian Jensen at the latest Marlins game enters her prison and manages to turn her world completely upside down.
Temptation comes in the form of pity at first, and then perhaps something more.
Does she dare to believe the things she's told, that this is not the life she was meant to live? That being a monster is not her forever-fate? And will she be willing to risk everything, to reach out and accept the helping hands around her? She knows only too well that hands can hurt. Finding out whether they can also heal is a risky proposition, especially when the beast is still out there. Looking for her.
**This story was inspired by true events. If you liked the movie "Sleeping With the Enemy", then you might like this story too. CONTENT WARNING: Violence, foul language, and adult situations. Not meant for younger readers.**
REVIEW
4.5 Stars
Don’t make me Beautiful is a mixture of Safe Haven and Slave. It’s a damsel in distress story line that will grip your heart from start to finish.
I loved Shine Not Burn, so I was very excited for Elle Casey’s newest book, Don’t Make Me Beautiful. Okay, so “Romantic Suspense” isn’t a genre I usually read, BUT it’s an Elle Casey book, so I had to read it. Don’t make me beautiful made me realize how much I do love those deep emotional, you-want-to-give-the-Heroine-a-hug story line.
Nicole is in an abusive relationship and for over three years her boyfriend has beaten her to the point where she is not pretty anymore. Her scars and beatings have taken such a toll on her body that she can’t fully recover. She’s trapped in her own home and misery. One day, a little boy hits a ball into her home and breaks a window. The father of the boy is Brian. Brian is just your average guy with an average life, but he soon finds himself in a situation he can’t walk away from.
I know who I am and I know who he is. He’s no match for me
You listen to me, you stubborn little thing… you can’t tell me what I think about you, okay? That’s for me to decide.
WOW, is all I got to say. First off, I love me a damsel in distress story line, so yes to that. Also, there are no flashbacks. I know! How can you write a story about an abused Heroine with no flashbacks? I do not know, but it worked and it was perfect for me. Also, you FELT for Nicole. Oh god, you just want to jump through the pages and just say “GIRL.YOU.ARE.BEAUTIUFL”!
This isn’t really your typical, oh girl gets beat up and guy comes to save her read. I felt like there was a lot that went on and when you add the whole image issue, it just creates another delicious layer. I like Brian, he’s such a sweet man and definitely has the guy-next-door vibe, plus you add in an adorable kid and well it’s a great duo. The relationship between Nicole and Brian progressives gradually and there’s plenty of push back on Nicole’s part to keep you interested in the read.
It only took five days for her to go from invisible woman living in a house around the corner to the center of his universe
Despite the subject matter, I wouldn’t call Don’t Make Me Beautiful a difficult book to read and it’s not really steamy. I think in all honesty it’s a beautiful story of moving forward and discovering yourself. I have never been abused, but I know people who have and it’s a very difficult and emotional subject to touch upon. I believe Elle delivered and wrote a beautiful story and it shocked me when I read a note in the book that it was based on true events. You can tell she poured her heart into the writing and it shows.
Don’t Make Me Beautiful isn’t for everyone. Realize it’s about a women who is traumatized, broken and is coming to terms with her situation, all in the process of a caring man trying to help her through it. If you like that then Don’t Make Me Beautiful is perfect for you.
ADD TO - > GOODREADS
PURCHASE - > AMAZON
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times Best-Selling author Elle Casey is an American girl living in southern France with her husband, three children, and several furry creatures. She writes in a variety of genre including YA Fantasy, YA Action/Adventure, New Adult Romance, and Adult Contemporary Romance. She's a little on the wild side, usually busy making people laugh, and always in the mood for adventure. There's not much in this world that she loves more than reader interaction, so feel free to drop her a line.
BLOG TOUR - > HERE
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I saw this on another blog, but I think your review was much better :) The storyline of this book really has me drawn in. I've never heard of anything like it, and that's a very, very good thing!
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