Seized ... Body and Mind (The Hunter Series Book One) A Beauty And The Beast Vibes Romance

by Alex Mellow

What if home is not a place?
What if home is a person all along?

Billionaire CEO Sebastian Hunter doesn’t bed his employees. He’s vowed never to touch a nice girl. And he never brings a woman home. Yet on Alice Lake’s first day as Sebastian’s new secretary, Sebastian falls in instant lust—and breaks all his rules at once.

When Alice gets a concussion, Sebastian convinces Alice to stay at his soulless mansion while recovering, but his real plan is to win just enough of her heart to get her to sleep with him. But once they’re living together, avid cook and virgin Alice turns out to be more than just a sweet treat. And Alice refuses to jeopardise her prized new job over a fling with a ruthless playboy…

Will Alice be able to resist Sebastian when the heart wants what the heart wants?

Also, a criminal mastermind has been stealing from the Hunter family business, and he’ll do anything to stop Sebastian’s investigation. A stalker lurks in the shadows, ready to crush any chance of happiness and a future together for Sebastian and Alice. And things are not what they seem.

They never are.

Seized … Body and Mind, book one of the Hunter series can be read as a standalone.

This is a full-length, scorching-hot romance novel with Beauty and the Beast vibes, with no cliffhanger, no cheating, and a guaranteed happily ever after. It has lots and lots of emotion that will make you melt and root for this couple, as well as suspense and twisted little mysteries that will grip you from beginning to end.

Genres: Forced Proximity, Romance, Contemporary

511 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 8, 2023

About the author

Alex Mellow lives with the two loves of her life, her darling husband and son, in London.
Her time is divided between her passion for writing and, of course, her beloved little family.
At home, when she’s not writing or running after a very active toddler you can find her reading, watching a good movie or trying to do some exercise. Lol. At least she tries.

Reviews

[Dora Koutsoukou · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 💘🔥⭐️s

This debut’s cover was beautiful!!🤩

This was Sebastian and Alice’s journey.
Tbh, I found the mcs and their story exaggerated, implausible, flawed, over the top swoony/romantic/cheesy... I am sorry to say, even ridiculous at some points 🙄.

It was lengthy, the middle dragged and after a point there were so many fillers with sex scenes that I simply 🙄skipped.

Could the heroine stop crying almost all the time???? 🙏

[Gem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this is good!!! It starts as a modern take on the retelling of Beauty and the Beast but seamlessly flows into different situations making it impossible to put down!

In the beginning, Sebastian is a bit of an arse (sorry Alex!). He’s cold & calculating but in his high powered role it’s necessary, though it extends to his personal life too. Then he’s confronted with another arse, Alice’s to be exact! And lust, passion & obsession take centre stage in his need to have her. Their chemistry is instant & the new emotions each are exposed to changes them both. With some fun banter, it had me giggling more than once.

I absolutely devoured this story & very much wish I’d read it sooner. The way Alex moves the story along honestly, had me hooked! And although Sebastian is a somewhat morally grey character, he most certainly redeems himself with how he falls for his sweet love. It’s wonderfully written & I felt so much love for the side characters too. I’m very much hoping for more in the way of future books set in this world! Loved it!

[Katie Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨

Absolutely grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this debut novel by this author🫶🏼

This book follows Sebastian and Alice and let just say Sebastian is a goner from the moment he lays eyes on Alice and I mean head over heels this man is, and he really pulls out all the stops to make Alice his, even if he discretely tricks her in to moving into his house👀. Sebastian has quite an effect on Alice as well I mean the man literally gives her a concussion the first moment they meet, but I absolutely ADORED how Sebastian went into protective mode instantly😩

While Sebastian has made it evidently clear that Alice is his he is surprisingly a gentlemen and gives her time to realise this and never pressures her in any aspect of their relationship! The chemistry between the couple is off the charts from the first interaction and the tension between the couple keeps building until it reaches breaking point🤌🏻 and those spicy moments, those are definitely not lacking in this book👀

Tropes:
- Beauty and the Beast Vibes
- Boss x Employee
- OTT Alpha MMC
- Touch her and die
- Insta Lust
- Interconnected Standalone

This book had me swooning, laughing and tearing up all in one, I mean what more could you ask for? I look forward to reading more in the series.✨

[Reading by Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice is so nervous as she enters the building and heads to the cafeteria to meet with Linda before they start the day. Alice started working as a temp at Hunter Corp two months ago as a junior secretary for the founder and CEO of the company. Today was the day she found out whether she had the job permanently.

Now she is sitting in shock during her meeting with Charles Hunter and Linda when he tells her that she has the job. But it isn't the junior secretary position that she thought she was in line for. No... they hired her to be the senior secretary for his son Sebastian who he has handed over the title of CEO. She starts as soon as he arrives back from Paris the following week.

Not only is her stomach in knots for receiving the job, but the rumor mill surrounding Sebastian Hunter didn't ease her mind. It is said that he is cold, intimidating and a first-rate jerk, but also a womanizer. She didn't work hard for her job to take anyone's crap.

Sebastian is looking forward to returning home to London after traveling to their other hotels and resorts making sure his new guidelines are put in place. He was looking forward to leaving Paris behind, especially after his unfortunate encounter with a crazy woman. Even drunk he should have known better.

Sebastian didn't date. He didn't do one-night stands. He never slept with the same woman twice. He only needed women for entertainment and when they were finished he couldn't wait to push them out the door.

After seeing what the loss of his mom did to his father he was determined to never fall in love, but just thinking about all the bimbos he slept with is giving him a migraine. But no one has been as delusional as the woman he practically had to shove out of the hotel door.

I loved this book! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. Sebastian had never wanted a woman for anything other than entertainment until he stepped into his London office to see a woman on her knees under her desk sweet-talking the computer into starting and he will do anything to make sure she is his... even if he has to tell a few lies and manipulate others to make sure it happens.

This book is action-packed, full of suspense and danger from start to finish. This book is smoking hot and Sebastian's desperation and the lengths he has gone to keep Alice in his life is hilarious. I love the relationship that Sebastian has with his father and brothers and can't wait to see what this author has in store for the other Hunter brothers.

[Nyxie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable
debut story by Alex Mellow.

While it does have a little BEAUTY AND THE BEAST vibe, the tropes are much more than just that : 

✨️over the top possessive alpha male

✨️ innocent, wholesome, virgin 

✨️ insta love trope 

✨️ billionaire playboy

✨️ boss / employee 


When Sebastian sees Alice he does an about face on his playboy ways & he's determined to make her his. Alice gets a concussion and he bribes a doctor into telling her she needs 24/7 care so she has to move in with him, of course she agrees. Alice is innocent and very naive.

Sebastian is conniving, overbearing and very protective. 

Their time together leads them to falling in love & Sebastian eventually redeems himself. 

This book really packs a lot into it. It was very descriptive  & there are LOTS & LOTS of steamy passages. 

Seized was well written and a great read, but I did feel as though it went on a bit longer than necessary.

[Melissa Wilks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Insta Love Beauty and the Beast vibe brings forth Seized..Body and Mind, Alex Mellows Debut Novel from The Hunter Series.

Our FMC Alice works for Charles Hunter when she is given a promotion to Senior Secretary to his son Sebastian Hunter. An accident occurs on Alice's first day in the position and she is instantly swept of her feet by Sebastian who has instantly fallen in love with her.

This book was an amazing read. Whilst some parts seemed a bit OTT, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I am excited to read more about the other brothers in further books.
The sex scenes were wild


Some Tropes Included
Boss/Employee
Insta Love
Touch her and die
Beauty and the Beast vibes.
Can be read as standalone or as a series when completed.


Thankyou to author Alex Mellow for my ARC copy of Seized... Body and Mind. I was very excited when you asked if I would like to read.

[Marilyn Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC Review *** what happens when Billionaire Playboy Sebastian Hunter meets new Secretary Alice Lake turns into a fairytale? Sebastian rightly tells everyone he is a soulless a**hole and lives the life of endless Bimbos. Alice a natural beauty, kind an funny suffers a concussion. Other characters include, Charles Hunter and his three sons left motherless when his wife dies. Alice is told that she needs someone to watch over her because of the concussion and it tags at the heart of the Billionaire playboy. Family, trauma, grief an a thieving former CFO. Yes, this storyline is lengthy however thorough. “ Je ne said quio..translated as a quality that cannot be described or named easily. Some spelling issues however gtreat storyline and plot. I was hooked, fast paced, realistic romance. This is a honest review for a ARC

[Sassy Southern Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable debut story by Alex Mellow with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Vibes, it had me very intrigued. This is also an insta love trope as when Sebastian first sees Alice his new secretary, he is determined to make her his. The perfect opportunity arises to start to win her over when Alice gets a concussion and so he persuades her to move in with him, so that he can take care of her...of course she agrees and I don't think could have imagined what would happen living with her boss. Alice is so sweet and innocent and a little naive but as she spends time with Sebastian she seems to blossom and grow in confidence....She is more than Sebastian could have expected. Sebastian appears to be a bit overbearing and conniving as he tricks Alice at first to do as he says by moving in with him. But his protectiveness really shines through and he really does care for her, it is not just physical attraction. He respects her as a person and sometimes allows her to dictate the relationship, he doesn't push her even though there is so much sexual tension and chemistry between them. The sexy times when they finally get together are HOT and there is also a heavy dose of romance. This is an Amazing debut novel from Alex Mellow and it was well written, very descriptive and thoroughly entertaining. A fantastic story. 5 Stars.- Cat W.

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Body and Mind by Alex Mellow is the first book in The Hunter Series. This is the story of Alice and Sebastian. Sebastian is smitten with Alice from the start. When she gets injured he uses it to move her in to his place. Enjoyed this book and I hope to read more from this author and series.

[Betsy Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice and Sebastian definitely give Beauty and the Beast vibes. These two start off on the wrong foot when Sebastian startles Alice and she ends up with a concussion as a result. Immediately intrigued by Alice, Sebastian manipulates the situation so that Alice has to come stay with him at his mansion while she recovers.

There is instant chemistry between them but neither of them have the experience with relationships so it’s a messy process for them both as they work through their pasts and feelings together.

I enjoyed this book for the most part and honestly thought it was going to end on a cliffhanger the closer I got to the end but Alex was able to wrap up the surrounding Alice, Sebastian, and their new little bundle of joy perfectly without marking us worry for the next book in the series!

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book!🥰
I haven’t read romance in a while (especially romance with a decent bit of smut) and honestly it’s like this book has awakened that love for romance and smut in me again!
I enjoyed this book so so much, the way Sebastian was so in love and head over heels with Alice, the way they just loved each other, the character growth in the book as you go through their life with them. I highly recommend this book if anyone has it in their TBR or even is debating giving it a go… it’s been such an easy read and it’s been a while since i’ve managed to sit and read a book and fully get into it as much as i did this one!

Thankyou Alex for giving me the chance to have the ARC and read it for a review… it was amazing and i cannot wait for more!!😍🫶🏼

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot Romance

Seized Body and Mind the frost book in the Hunter Series is a hot hot hot romance/who done it. Seized Body and Mind: A Beauty and the Beast is the story of Sebastian and Alice. It takes you from the moment they met, and through their ups and downs. The books ends with their happily ever after; however, the story of who was trying to steal from the company will continue into book 2. I like this concept of the story continuing into the other books in the series while also telling the story of the brothers and their true loves. I can’t wait for Luke’s story in book 2.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story but it took a while to get through. Alice and Sebastian fell for each other under the circumstances but so much other stuff happened. Alice changed him for the better. Looking forward to reading more of this series.

[Jeni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of the ebook to review ✨️

First of all how beautiful is that cover! So stunning!

The story follows Sebastian, billionaire playboy CEO of Hunter Corp and his shy virgin secretary, Alice.

On her fist day of her new role as Sebastian's secretary, Alice bashes her head on her desk and gives herself a concussion. Sebastian is instantly drawn to Alice and after taking her to hospital, convinces her she should come and stay at his mansion while she heals from her concussion.

Sebastian goes to great lengths to keep Alice at his mansion and what he feels are purely lustful tendencies towards Alice, soon turn in to more. Alice helps shape Sebastian into a better person throughout the course of the book. There were plenty of sweet moments and plenty of spicey ones too!

Alice had quite a dark childhood which contributes to her personality and how emotional she is. Sebastian had an equally traumatic childhood in loosing his mum and a young age which again really shows in his character. They are both like ying and yang. Both having gone through childhood trauma and both coming out it very differently.

Other than the main storyline between Sebastian and Alice, there are a couple of other storylines that branch off slightly. One that follows money theft from Hunter Corp - which i feel was slightly more evoled and the other that follows the antics of Cassandra, a pshyco one night stand, who believes she is dating Sebastian. I think this had the potential to of been developed even further and could of really added in to the story and given it a slightly more thriller-esk element, however how this section comes to a head is exciting and explosive.

I thought the characters were well developed on the whole, which I think will help leading in to the next books in the serise - i assume there will be more as there are another 3 Hunter brothers! Although i really didnt like Luke, i wasnt a fan of his abusive relationship with Sebastian and i think he was a total dick...however i think thats the whole point and his personality, and towards the very end of the book we glimmers of mahbe the true Luke under the womanising bravado.

Over all i really enjoyed the book and give it 3.5 stars ⭐️

I look forward to reading more by Alex Mellow and seeing her writing and characters develop over time

[Christy Davisson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need a billionaire who is J/P OTT obsessed with his girl then you need this book ASAP!!

Wow, this book was so much fun to read with the Beauty and the Beast vibes and the off the charts spicy moments woven into the instant chemistry/connection Sebastian and Alice have. If you love a good girl and playboy billionaire who falls fast and hard then buckle up because his filthy mouth and demanding brutish ways will have you wanting more as this story unfolds.

I loved that the author gives you this wild story of obsession, lust, and eventually love it sets up a fast paced love affair where the MMC will do anything to have his girl. He wants to make sure she falls for him and he definitely has a crazy plan to ensure just that. From a crazy one night stand stalker from his past to a crazy outlandish plan to keep Alice all to himself Sebastian is a morally gray man at best but you can't help but love his crazy side at times. Yes, you will get a few frustrating moments between these two while they are finding their way to HEA. Now even though Alice is the quintessential good girl who has never had a boyfriend and has had an awful upbringing leading her to be the only person to rely on as she navigates her new life after the loss of her parents. She's gullible at times but will still put Sebastian in his place when she feels he needs it. So yes they have a push-pull dynamic with an intense attraction that builds up the angsty moments between them. I love that she remains this sweet lovable person throughout the story but isn't afraid to tell Sebastian when he's wrong and yes shocker he has several moments where he is very wrong lol.

This story is full of twists and ups and downs with two people who have never been in love which has them hesitant at times to show their true feelings, but the passion is never lacking between them. So I highly recommend this one if you love a story that takes you on an emotional ride from start to finish. I'm definitely going to want more from this author now!!

Overall: 5/☆☆☆☆☆
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

[Paige (wingsandsmut) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seized gives off Beauty and the Beast vibes and gives us the story between Sebastian and Alice. In the beginning, Sebastian is just another billionaire who thinks he can do and have whatever he wants…but then his obsession and chemistry with Alice starts to grow. And when that tension finally breaks, let’s just say you won’t be disappointed! I loved the banter between these two and definitely had a few laughs while reading it!

What to expect:
- Beauty and the Beast vibes
- Billionaire boss x employee
- Touch her and die
- Insta-lust

Thank you to Alex Mellow for letting me read/review an ARC of this book!

[Vale Nissi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t got this disappointed by a book in years but I didn’t liked this book at all.
I didn’t liked the way all started by a lie, the way he kept her locked in his apartment, the way the entire book is about sex, the way it skips parts and you have to figure out if it’s an hour later or 3 days later. It lacked of normal day parts… and the one scene that I was so disappointed in was the proposal… he really proposed to her while doing the deed???
I feel so bad for the author because I’m sure she put all of her in this book but it wasnt really for me.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seized…Body and Mind tells the story of Sebastian, rich because of his family's business but not a good guy, and Alice who has some past family trauma but is an all around nice girl. From totally different worlds and backgrounds, Alice starts as an employee to his father but becomes so much more.
Omg this book. I want to start by the fact I was a little nervous when I started as some sites categorize this books as "erotica" and I tend to not love super spicy books. However! It was written so well! I don't like spicy books that use all the ridiculous words, but Alex wrote them all in a way that it was hot and not uncomfortable for me. And there was so much more to the story too! Some twists and a whole story line about criminal activity and the Hunter brothers working on that. Speaking of the brothers, I also really enjoyed the relationship with Sebastian and his family. The only negative thing I can say (which really isn't even bad, it's just a personal preference) is that it was a really long book. I don't feel that the story ever really dragged, it just was a big book that took me longer to read than I thought it would lol.

[Sara Cayson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it and enjoyed the characters and Sebastian is so much more of a hot book boyfriend ❤️

[Suzy Engelhaupt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover is amazing, and I knew I'd love this story. I would've picked it up even if I hadn't received an early copy.
But unfortunately, it didn't hit the spot for me.
There were parts that kept me hooked and
I was excited for what I thought would be the main plot, but then nothing happened. Turns out this book was just a setup for the next one where it looks like we'll get some real answers.
The relationship was a little too romantic and cheesy for me.

Someone will love this book because it is good. But maybe it just wasn't for me.

[Stephanies.books_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was definitely an emotional ride.

Alice has been through a lot growing up, which has had a major impact on how she has grown. She is a take charge, little spit fire, who can handle herself when the situation arises. She's can also get inside her own head. Unfortunately, it is also a result of her upbringing. This henders her in believing that Sebastian could truly love her.

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕. 𝑵𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔. 𝑵𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆’𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐? 𝑳𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚? 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅? 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒆’𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒆’𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒏, 𝒔𝒐𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒘. 𝑺𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒊𝒕. 𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕.

Sebastian is used to living a carefree lifestyle. He doesn't let women get their hopes and is upfront with what he wants. This makes a hurtle when he stumbles upon Alice. His approach to getting what he wants is a little unconventional. His plan back fires the more time he spends with her.

𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒅.

These two compliment each other well. Alice is the light in Sebastians dark. And Sebastian is the light in Alice's dark.

-forced Proximity
-pregnancy
-workplace romance
-dirty talking mmc
- insta attraction
-good girl bad boy
-angst

[Melissa B · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my first time reading Alex and I think it's a new author.
The concept is intriguing but I don't think it was the right match for me. It felt too long and it developed some unnecessary thing whilst other were brushed off.

I was given a free copy of this book and I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sebastian is exactly what you want in a morally grey CEO MMC. Hot, possessive and head over heals for Alice, the FMC. She's a bit naive but willing to stand up for herself. Their story was overall great, however the side plots felt underwhelming, I know the one plot continues in the sequel but I think the other plot needed a little more fleshing out. Otherwise a really good read.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sebastian and Alice. I was hooked from the beginning!!! The twists and turns this book takes you on! I love how protective Sebastian is of Alice after the accident and how strong-willed Alice is. She's fiercely independent, and I love how he's willing to go to great lengths for her. I can't wait to read the other books in the series!

[Meaghan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf. I'll be honest, it was difficult. The writing is not great. The sentence structure and word choices are juvenile and hard to follow. The choices of what is shown on page and what isn't is baffling. Important conversations happen off page while what the FMC had for dinner is fully explained. The MMC is awful. There's also a lot of slut shaming in just the first few chapters
I didn't vibe with it. Clearly based on the ratings one people did, but it needed a major edit.

[Mia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to quit this on page 31 after reading the quote I highlighted from the MMC. I’m not looking for slut shaming and misogyny in my books. If he has such a big problem with those women then why does he keep sleeping with them? Yuck.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for Seized … Body and Mind – Alex Mellow

I devoured this book in a little over 24 hours, and for someone who has been reading the same book since September, it’s a testament to how much I loved it. I’m sad it’s over, but Sebastian and Alice’s journey definitely hit the spot for me. For Alex Mellow’s first contemporary romance, she did a fantastic job. This steamy romance follows Alice and Sebastian. Alice is sweet and kind and Sebastian wants nothing more than to corrupt her. When he tricks her into staying at his house for 2 months under false pretences, the last thing he expects is for genuine feelings to bud. The story follows their ups and downs as they find each other and look inward at their own feelings. I love the dynamics between Alice and Sebastian, as well as the dynamics of the Hunter family. It’s primarily dual POV with the addition of Charles at one touching point. I really enjoyed reading both of their perspectives and their natural character progression. Sebastian is devious, incorrigible, and conceited. Alice is innocent, kind-hearted and yet finds a kindred soul in Sebastian. I enjoyed seeing his resolve falter as he realised that she meant more to him than just an object he wanted to claim. The characters overall felt well rounded and loveable, especially as they flourished, and defences came down.

- Beauty and the Beast vibes
- Insta lust
- Forced proximity
- Lots of spicy scenes
- Billionaire playboy

Overall – it was a brilliant page turner and an enticing debut novel that offers raunchy romance and a tantalising love story. I was rooting for Alice and Sebastian hard and was so frustrated by his actions at times, he was so bad with self-sabotaging even if his intentions were in the right place. I wanted to reach through the screen and give his head a wobble! Like come on, tell Alice the truth before it comes out, haven’t you learned your lesson?!

I was also hooked by the subplot surrounding Arthur and Cassandra. It felt a little brushed over at times, and I was looking forward to when it would come up again. I’m glad the next instalment is exploring this more, and I was really intrigued by it. The ending was super satisfying and it really picked up the pace in the final third. I loved Charles, Linda, Michael and the rest of the Hunter brothers – can’t wait to see them again in the next book.

The prologue had me hooked for the next instalment, and I’m excited that it’s surrounding Luke. It definitely promises more action with another intriguing Hunter brother. I will for sure be picking it up when it comes out!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows Billionaire CEO Sebastian Hunter, who vowes to steer away from nice girls. Enter Alice, who on her first day as Sebastian’s new secretary, Sebastian, falls in instant lust.
Alice gets a concussion, and Sebastian convinces Alice to stay at his mansion while recovering in order to get her to sleep with him. But once they’re living together, Alice turns out to be more than meets the eye. Meanwhile, danger lurks in the shadows, ready to crush any chance of happiness.

Sebastian is a morally grey MMC to begin with while Alice is portrayed as a nice girl. He is obsessed and wants her to be his and does some pretty morally grey things to manipulate the situation to get what he wants. I will, however, say Alice starts off being a bit feisty, but this seems to fizzle out, she ends up being a bit of a pathetic FMC at times and personally I think the book could have benefited more from a bit of a slow build to begin with, a bit more will they won't they instead of instant lust on both sides, more resistance from her to add to the authenticity of her character profile, but this is me being picky as there's still so much push/pull between them and that tension and you do warm to Alice as an FMC. She's damaged and shy and has been through trauma, which makes you root for her.
Sebastians character development throughout the book is there too, you see the depth of his character and him being such a fuck boy to start with starts to make more sense if not still problematic in places.

The spice is written perfectly in my opinion and let me tell you it's a good job because it is heavy on the spice, to the point it's almost more spice than plot which was a shame for me as I loved the banter between the brothers and do wish we'd have seen more of this and more focus on the plot overall, it did feel like an at times and rushed in others with a few jumps in time towards the end that seemed out of the blue, especially against the amount of spice 🤣but this is only the first book in a series so I'm hoping we will get more of that in the next book. Overall I enjoyed the book and will absolutely be reading the next one.

[Theresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is supposed to be a romantic suspense/mystery thriller and you don't get any of that. Sebastian and Alice are the main characters. Sebastian slept with Cassandra and she went psycho and then he met Alice. I honestly forgot about Cassandra until Sebastian mentioned to his brothers that she's the one who broke into the house and is apparently doing things that is happening off page. Not a single hint of the things Cassandra is supposedly doing, which I think would’ve added to the book. I feel like there’s a lot of unnecessary information and/or thoughts that could’ve been used for much needed suspense or more snippets of Alice’s past.

I wasn’t a fan of the characters and I thought I’d like them as book wore on, but no…especially Sebastian. He claims he loves Alice and yet he kept vital information from Alice that almost had gotten her killed. If she knew about Cassandra maybe it would’ve made a difference in the end...All he did was make irrational decisions. Towards the end of the book, Alice thinks to herself, “Grow a backbone, Alice,” and all I can think is, yes, she needs to because she lets Sebastian get away with so much with barely putting up a fight or arguing with him.

I feel like some of the chapters are too long, which made it harder for me to read and stay engrossed. There could’ve been more chapters instead of extremely long ones. I feel like some of the stuff in the chapters was unnecessary and the book could’ve been shorter. I kind of kept wishing it was over with. I liked the thought of the plot and I like the trope, which is why I signed up for the book, but this book wasn't my vibe. The only good thing I can say is that the spice was hot, and I enjoyed it!

[Del Neethling · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝘈 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳. 𝘈 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳... 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐'𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘺."

Thank you Alex Mellow for gifting me an e-ARC of your book! I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to be able to read your work!

Seized... Body and Mind is Alex Mellow's debut novel and is a contemporary romance retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

Sebastian is our Billionaire CEO playboy who is a beast at heart, ruthless and cutthroat in business and even a little bit towards our FMC Alice in the beginning in terms of how he gets her to spend time with him.

Alice is our bookish, shy, virginal main character, loveable from the beginning but very naive, impressionable and sensitive.

Alex's writing style flows across these pages and I had no issues flying through large parts of this book, even though the pace was a bit slow in parts. The romance between our main characters definitely gives this book some dark romance vibes even though this isn't necessarily a dark romance book. Their dynamic is immediate and intense and builds up really quickly, all while having this intense slow burn building between them and leading up to them doing the deed.

This story is filled with spicy scenes so if that's your vibe this book is for you!

All this smut doesn't mean there's no plot, trust that Alex came through with an intense plot line to keep you on your toes!

This book is a story of love, lust and growth. It's intense and emotional and everything you could want in a contemporary romance.

𝕿𝖗𝖔𝖕𝖊𝖘:
Beauty and the Beast retelling
Boss x Employee
Touch her and unalive
Insta Lust