My ruthless husband hunts me across the country and in my dreams. If he catches me, I'll lose not only my freedom, but my sanity. I have to stay one step ahead, but he's closing in. So I keep running, straight into the arms of a man who whispers seductive promises of protection and safety. One way or another, this race will end. I'll risk everything for it to be at the hands of the powerful man who revels in my darkness. But should the devil get me first, then death shall be my solace. May the best man win.
Fox
I've dedicated my entire life to protecting others, until I was betrayed. Seeking refuge in my childhood home, I find it’s been invaded by a woman with dark secrets. She believes she’s too broken, too fractured to be desired, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Let the demon who terrorizes her nightmares come. In this tangled game of cat and mouse, I’m the ultimate predator, a force both should fear.
Beneath Your Beautiful is a dark standalone dual POV stalker bodyguard MF romance, with a hunted FMC and an over-the-top possessive grumpy hero.
Adaline Winters writes heroines who bite back and the alpha males who fall to their knees because of it. Known for weaving sizzling tension with deadly twists, she delights in leading readers through stories full of betrayal, desire, and the kind of cliffhangers that leave you cursing her name—and still begging for more. If there’s one promise she makes, it’s this: her heroines will never go quietly, and her heroes will never come out unscathed.
She lives in England’s Lake District, where the scenery is dramatic, the weather is stubbornly grey, and the dog in her house is somehow even more chaotic than her characters. Her husband and daughter are used to conversations being interrupted by sudden mutterings about plot twists or declarations like, “What if I just kill him instead?”
When she’s not plotting new ways to make her readers scream (and swoon), Adaline is probably crocheting blankets that never turn out quite square, or losing precious writing time to her daily Wordle obsession. She claims it’s brain training for crafting fiendish plot twists—but in truth, she just likes to win.
Romance novels are her first love, especially those where strong, sharp-tongued heroines drive alpha males to the brink of madness. That’s the energy she channels into every book she writes: sharp, sexy, a little ruthless, and completely addictive. If you like your stories dangerous, your tension sizzling, and your heroes utterly undone by the women who refuse to bow… welcome to her worlds.
First of all, there are triggers here, so fucking read them before you go in.
This is this author's first go at dark romance and I fucking loved it! 99% of book villains come off more as the shit stain on the underwear of life. Annoying fuckers that show up at the most inopportune fucking time. Or they sound like they would bring up random conversations about birth control to try to convince you that they've gotten laid before. It's always a fucking let down and then I have to pay attention to the MC and try to find something that makes the cunt tingle, in order to get through the book.
Then, I met Gideon. I understand that I shouldn't idolize him, and yet, here I fucking go. His evil was so fucking selfish. You get the villains who want to destroy things or lives to make them scarier or richer. But it felt like Gideon just wanted to destroy Honor. He was so fucking focused on his abuse on her that it felt obsessive. He was fucking terrible, absofuckinglutely TERRIBLE in the beginning of the book. And yet, I was super giddy and GIGGLING, yes, giggling when he returned. Don't get me wrong, he's a bad guy. Don't ever fucking stay with someone like him. Dude's def someone you'd want front row seats for when karma dry fucks him with a cactus. Like, I truly believe his mother must've cut him off the tit too soon cuz the fucker had some serious 'I'm not good enough' issues. I'm thinking, he figured instead of him working on it, he'll makeTHEM perfect for HIM. His scenes were disgusting, abusive, and yet, my cunt was drooling for him. Ok, I'll stop.
I really wanted to hate Fox cuz I liked Gideon, but man, what a fucking dude. He's patient, goddamn hot, supportive and a pain in the ass, but he does it so fucking well that you can't help but love him. I also almost fell off the treadmill reading a part about him, so there's that.
Honor is a fucking badass. She's the woman we all wish we were when we were at our bottom. Her persistence, her determination to live and survive is fucking amazing and inspiring. There were scenes where I was there with her. I was just as frantic or stressed out lol. Fucking loved her.
The last couple chapters for the prelude and actual climax were heart racing cuz it came out of nowhere, and it was fast-paced and fun to read. Def recommend.
There are not enough trigger warnings in the world. I want details in trigger warnings. Who cares about spoilers IN THE TRIGGER WARNINGS. Are you kidding me. THE HUSBAND STITCH. WHERE WAS THE TRIGGER WARNING. DNF. Could not finish. Couldn't even get past when she ran.
Next time, ACTUALLY LIST THEM SPECIFICALLY. NO ONE CARES ABOUT WARNINGS IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE TRIGGERED ANYWAYS WITHOUT WARNING.
4,75 That was fucking horrifying and fucking fantastic. The beginning was so infuriating and painful I felt physically ill. However, the recovery Honor went through and how she did it. Helen was her light and saviour and Fox was her darkness and protector. Fox is one fine man, goddamn. The writing was really well done and I enjoyed the story. Had tears in my eyes multiple times through her recovery. Honor and Fox are so made for each other it’s not even funny.
Already had mixed feelings most of the book and how inconsistent the heroine was, but I had enough when heroine turned out to be a judgemental and hypocritical bitch. Her internalized misogyny came out to play and hero not seeing anything wrong with it makes me like him even less, not that I liked him much to begin with. Author tried way too hard to make the heroine not be like other women, and it was just full on pick me behavior and anti-feminist.
P.s. the two MCs don't even meet until about a 100 pages in!
4.5⭐️ So I really needed a change of pace. I was honestly tired of reading books where the MMC was full of red flags. If I want that I can go out into the real world. It’s full of men with them. 🙄
Anyways! I’d be lying if I said the cover of this book didn’t influence me in some way to read this book, I mean..😏😮💨 I devoured this book and honestly loved the suspense that the storyline held. Honor, our FMC, is in a very abusive relationship with her husband Gideon. Without giving too much away she ends up escaping and eventually falling into the arms of Fox Aldridge, our MMC. And let me tell you, he is caring, protective, and although a little possessive (but not in a creepy way), he’s giving some greenish flags (especially in this story) and it’s honestly what I needed. I also love their tension, and I’m pretty sure I was blushing at his bluntness. 🤭
The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars was because I felt like the last 2 chapters and the epilogue were a little “corny” or overdone. It was a little too cliché for me. Compared to the way the rest of the book was written, I guess I was expecting a grander finale with a little more depth.
“Beneath Your Beautiful” is the story of Honor and Fox.
“Where have you been all my life?” he mutters, almost to himself. “Becoming the woman brave enough to give you everything you deserve.”
A beautiful romance about recovery and healing from abuse.
The first few chapters were difficult to read as they had graphic and descriptive violence against the heroine and how she escapes from her horrible husband. The second half has her meeting the hero, them getting intrigued by one another, slow burn romance, hot consensual lovemaking and a revenge filled happy ending.
Really enjoyed the heroines journey to finding joy.
The beginning is hard to read. Very sad. Honor was trapped in a domestic violence marriage (well, worse than that). She managed to escape and her journey begins. Fox was everything she needed and more. Very well written.
What an absolute rollercoaster. Adaline has done it again with a book that ripped me to shreds, stomped on them, set them on fire and then put me back together.
Fox and Honor’s story was a beautiful read. I wasn’t too sure on Fox at first but as you see his protective instincts come out, and read the chapters from his perspective, you can totally see how him and Honor bring out the best in each other. I also really appreciated how he instantly knew not to treat Honor like a delicate flower despite what she had been through. She was a survivor with a strong and fiery personality and I loved that he didn’t judge her and expect her to act in a certain way. His protective instincts and darker side complemented her beautifully and allowed her to move past the trauma she had faced without having to worry about societal expectations.
What I really loved about this book though were the side characters. Anthony, Mel, Louise, Tony and Derek were incredible additions. The way they support a stranger going through something so horrendous still makes me tear up when I think about it. And Helen was just amazing. These characters really brought to life the severity of the situation that was so real and raw, it was heartbreaking. Adaline has handled a difficult topic so well and has shown that true strength really does come from within whilst highlighting that it’s okay to ask for help.
It was so great as well to see an author tackle a situation that is unfortunately common but so controversial: an innocent man being accused of sexual assault. The way that Fox’s story ran parallel to Honor’s and highlighted a different but very real side of this type of crime, was eye opening but ultimately handled in a very sensitive way.
This story was beautifully written with dynamic and engaging characters. I laughed, I cried, I cringed and I raged. I honestly can’t wait to read more from Adaline. Bring it on!
Right off the bat this has a big trigger warning for domestic violence so proceed with caution. It is not done by the MMC but is described in detail. I really enjoyed this book, it deals with heavy subject matter, but the plot and character development is outstanding. I love the fmc, and how despite what she is been through how strong she is. She is a true survivor. The MMC sees her for who she is, and puts her needs first and isn’t that what we all want! Anyway, despite being heavy this is a story that is suspenseful, exciting spicy and at its core hopeful. It does drag a bit in the second act, but I’m forgiving that because the story was so compelling. Well worth the read.
This was a beautiful read Honor is wow I really had no words. Her strength is something one day I wish to have for myself. This was such a good read. The storyline yes was very heavy in what abuse and mental struggle Honor is put through. But her journey and ending with Fox is something absolutely gallant in the way he support her through the darkness. He is the gentleman we all want by our side and the possessive dominant man we want in the bedroom. There was good light hearted banter. That gave you lovely moments I loved Helen’s and Duke relationship with Honor and how it was so vital to her story. The spice was delicious Fox gave everything Honor needed and that is what made it hot! But so precious to there relationship because she was alway in control. My to favorite quote from the book is… “I’ve found the best revenge is success. Karma is a bitch that sorts the rest out, and while she might take her sweet time, she never misses.” And I whole heartedly read Honor get her Karma and it was exquisite! I loved this book totally recommend. I cannot not wait for what is to come next!
Stalker bodyguard romance Enemies to Lovers Standalone
This book sucked me in straight away. Fast paced and a page turner. Honor is in a horrible marriage with an abusive husband called Gideon. They’ve been married for a year. She decides to run away. She’s had enough of Gideon and rubbish life. She meets a few people on the way which help her blend in and starts to build friendships. She finally secures a job working with a lady around her house - cooking, cleaning etc. Honor then runs into the arms of another man called Fox. Fox is the grandson of the lady that Honor is cleaning. He’s not overly keen on Honor. He wonders what her game is. He then starts to warm up to her and start to open up with each other. Fox has secrets too. Can they learn to trust each other and come to terms with what Honor is going through? Can Fox help her overcome her fears?
Wow I got this book randomly recommended through a Facebook group and went into it blind and it was one of my favorite reads of the year!!
This book is a trigger heavy book so please be aware but it is so worth it. The growth that the fmc has with he help of the mmc definitely makes Fox top tier book boyfriend he respects Honors wishes while also realizing what she needs to get comfort of her comfort zone
Honor is my hero! After falling for a devil in disguise who goes from the perfect gentleman to the demon behind the curtains Honor still finds a way to take back control of her life. The gut wrenching moments will tie you in knots. This book is not for the faint of heart. It’s dark and depraved and absolutely harrowing butttttt she is a warrior. I was glued to the pages of this book. I wanted to bawl in one chapter and be her cheerleader in the next.
Lucy Rivers and Connor Brown bring this intense, raw, and emotionally charged story to life with powerful narration that perfectly captures the characters’ trauma, resilience, and chemistry. The audiobook is a dual narration.
Honor endures unimaginable abuse at the hands of her husband, Gideon, a dangerously powerful DA. Her escape from his clutches sets the stage for a gripping tale of survival, healing, and unexpected love. Along the way, Honor, now Cleo, meets Fox, a hardened ex-military bodyguard with his own troubled past. Their slow-burn romance is riddled with trust issues, explosive chemistry, and moments of tenderness.
This book isn’t just a romance—it’s a psychological exploration of healing after abuse, combined with elements of suspense, action, and steamy moments that keep you turning the pages.
Content Warnings Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting
When I started this book I was not expecting to be so captivated. I could NOT put this book down! There were triggers that I thought I would not like but the clever way it has been written has made it comfortable to read. I absolutely adore the character Honor stands for, her strong ability to overcome everything she has been through and still fight with Fox who does every for her. I wish I could reread this for the first time again!
One of the best dark romances I have read in a while. The FMC was strong, witty and relatable. The MMC Fox well we all need a Fox in our lives! This had me gripped and desperately turning the pages.
It's 1:15 am and I just finished. Wow, this was a rollercoaster of emotions - as all of Adaline Winters books are. I was completely captivated by this book. I couldn't put it down.
To note: This one is not for the faint of heart or those who are triggered by descriptive sexual/mental/physical abuse. Definitely read the warnings and read fully prepared.
This book was phenomenal. First let me say that if you are easily uncomfortable with the talks about domestic abuse in physical, emotional and sexual ways then please for your mental health you may want to reconsider this book. However it does let us learn how strong our Honor is and everything she's been through. This book is so incredibly written from page one you are sucked into the story. You will love Honor our FLC. She is not only strong but down right fearless! She escapes her sick and twisted husband and reclaims her life and freedom. Enter our other lock ass female Helen! This woman helps rebuild our girl! We then meet the of so grumpy and dominate grandson of Helen Fox! He is exactly what Honor needs to take the final steps in reclaiming her life! They build and overcome together. But Honeid husband is still coming...will these two broken hands be enough to save Honor from her monster? Read this gem folks! PS...the hot and steamy scenes between these two made my teeth sweat lol
If you can get through the first 10% or so of book you won’t be sorry. Come on, the bar date where Fox holds the key to all the orgasmic fun (literally) and has absolutely no idea? Absolute genius. Helen is the grandmother we all need, and I’m not convinced she wasn’t trying to choose her “assistant” for her grandson’s match all along to begin with.
I'm just not understanding why the author would make Fox be so domineering. He slaps her hand away when she tries to eat some of the fruit he brings her for lunch because he wants to feed her. (Slaps her hand - why not have him push it away? Why Slap?) How is this much different than what she's running from? It just doesn't work for me, which is unfortunate since I could like the book if he wasn't at this level. Dnf 43%
It's dark, it's emotional, it's full of secrets, and it's a coming to terms with everything you knew was wrong.
This book will suck you in and break you down but heal your emotions by the end. It will show you pain and love, hurt and trust, breaking and healing. It's a book not for the weak of heart.
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice Level: 🌶🌶 Darkness Level: 💀💀
⚠️ DV, control, hunting, forced medical procedures, on the run, violence, àbüse, death, false accusations, grape
This is the author's first foray into contemporary romance, and she knocked it out of the park! I absolutely loved this story.
Honor is on the run from her controlling and àbüsivē husband. Fox is the grandson of the woman who takes her in and has secrets of his own. Their chemistry is as explosive as the ending, and I couldn't put it down.
Adaline knows how to tell a story, always bringing a wealth of feelings that will make you laugh, cry, and scream for justice.
Please check the content warnings before reading.
Highly recommended and one of my top reads so far this year.