Suave, handsome Brodie Beaumont has a history of using and being used by women. Playing bass in his brother's band doesn't hurt.
A past he doesn’t like to talk about has turned him into the type of guy he is today, but he hasn’t really cared. Until the beautiful and feisty Gabrielle Demeres comes back into his life.
Gabrielle learned the hard way what type of guy Brodie was the first time she met him. His crude seduction attempt earned him a slap to his face, and Gabrielle wasn’t exactly looking forward to another encounter with the cad. Unfortunately, her best friend was marrying Brodie’s brother, and Gabrielle and Brodie would be forced to spend time together whether she liked it or not.
As things in the small, quiet town of Turtle Lake take a decidedly dark and dangerous turn, Gabrielle and Brodie only have each other to turn to. Will they be capable of overcoming their aversion to one another while coping with their own troubled pasts and dealing with the current dangers surrounding them? Or is their hostility just skating the fine line between love and hate?
Susan Griscom, writes paranormal and contemporary romance. She's hooked on gritty romances and is a huge fan of superheroes and bad boys confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers, and abilities beyond the norm mixed with steamy romance, of course.
She loves those days when she gets to sit around in her sweat pants, doing nothing but writing emotionally charged stories about love and violence and drinking coffee.
She lives in Northern California with her romantic husband and together they have five great superhero kids and eight mini-superhero grand kids, so far.
Beautifully Used was the second book in Susan Griscom’s Beaumont Brothers series. It focused on Brodie Beaumont.
We met Brodie in book one as the one night, two at the most, stand guy. We quickly learned this was a coping mechanism for his demons, but what said demons were, was a mystery. We also briefly met Gabrielle aka Gabby, in book one as a friend and former band mate to Lena. Turns out Gabrielle had demons too. Griscom took us through the discovery mode with a few plot twists while unraveling each backstory.
I enjoyed getting to know both characters, but I was craving more and felt the end was a little anti-climatic and ended abruptly. I needed more depth with a peak into the future or at least an explanation for how some of the various plots melded together for the overall story. Otherwise, it was a fairly quick and enjoyable read.
*I purchased this as part of the boxed set The Beaumont Brothers Complete Series. I am reviewing each book separately as I read it and will then provide an overall rating under the boxed set for the entire series.
I read book one, Beautifully Wounded, six months ago. Since then I've been looking forward to reading this and the author certainly didn't disappoint me.
This is the beautiful story of Brodie and Gabrielle. Both are being held back by their past. Will they be able to help each other move on and find happiness??
I read this in one afternoon. I seriously could not put it down. I loved the characters in book one so of course I loved reading about them again. This is a brilliantly written romantic story with enough omg moments to keep me glued.
I certainly recommend these two books. I loved them.
"Shhhh, shhhh, I know something happened. And I know it's affected you, the way you react to me sometimes. You know you can trust me, Gabrielle. There is nothing in this world that you could have done, or have done to you that would ever make me lose respect for you or change the way I feel about you. I want you to feel comfortable enough with me to tell me."
First of all, I loved the new cover. I believe it's beautiful and sexy. I loved it so much that I would have read it on that premise alone. The cover of a book is the first thing that grabs my attention when deciding if I should read a particular novel.
BEAUTIFULLY USED is book 2 of the Beaumont Brothers series and it can be read as a stand-alone. This installment tells the story of Brodie Beaumont and Gabrielle Demeres. I first met them when I read Beautifully Wounded. I was intrigued by Brodie and was eager to learn more about him. Brodie can be classified as a man-whore. He changed women in the same way one would change their underwear. He never slept with the same woman twice. When the reason behind his actions was revealed, I could not help but empathize with him. I did not condone his actions but based on the circumstances, I understood why he behaved the way he did. I knew it must have been difficult carrying around all the guilt. The fact that he blamed himself spoke volumes. He closed off his heart to the possibility of love and avoided any form of commitment. However, the appearance of Gabrielle in his life has him rethinking his lifestyle. Will she be able to renew his faith in love and help him to turn away from his philandering ways?
Gabrielle first came to Turtle Lake when she discovered that her best friend Lena, having escaped an abusive relationship, was now residing there. She never expected to meet someone as interesting as Brodie. However, their first encounter did not go so well. However, as fate would have it, their paths crossed again when Gabrielle returned to attend Lena's wedding. Now she was forced to spend time with him. The more time she spends with him, she came to realise there was more to Brodie than meets the eye. However, events from her past were preventing her from seizing a chance at love. Will Brodie be able to break down the barriers she had built?
When you are able to connect with the characters in a story to the point you become invested in everything they do, then you know you have hit the jackpot. For me, this what happened with Brodie and Gabrielle. I wanted to see them move past the pain, hurt and betrayals of their past so you can imagine how thrilled I was when they achieved that and more.
Their story of love was heartwarming. It was evident that they were attracted to each other, but based on their first encounter, each harboured the belief that the other did not like them. However, the more time they spent together they began to see things in a different light. The romance developed slowly which made it believable. The theme is similar to that of book one. The focus of the story was on the effect of abuse and the healing process.
I found the story engaging. After reading the first installment I was primed for book two and I was not disappointed. The element of mystery and suspense that was included helped to increase the intensity of the story. I enjoyed every aspect of this story and now I am eager to read the next book in the series.
Just another "Beautifully" written book by Susan Griscom....4.5 Stars for my rating.
After reading the first book of The Beaumont Brothers, Beautifully Broken, I was hooked to this series immediately. I do highly recommend that you read the first book because the main characters of this book Brodie and Gabrielle are first introduced to the readers in Beautifully Used.
Brodie is Jackson's playboy love them, leave them brother to Gabrielle who is Lena's best friend and Rock of Gibraltar. Brodie and Gabriel meeting in the first book is not a good thing at all. Gabby see's right through Brodie and is not into this type of guy. Too forward and too quick to jump into bed. The thing that Gabby doesn't know is that Brodie has been hurt in the past and this is how he deals.
So it will now take a different story and a different turn around for these two characters to come full circle. It all starts with Brodie having to pick Gabby up at the airport and then it begins. The dislikes, the banter, the disagreements, the attraction, the kissing, the well you get the point.....
Both Brodie and Gabby are battling their own past issues. Can Brodie be the night in shining armor for Gabby and come to her rescue to save her? Will Gabby be the women that Brodie will allow into his heart again?
They both will have decided if they forget thier pasts, bend and not break with each other. It is a sweet follow up story in the Beautiful Series.
This was a great follow-up to Beautifully Wounded! I loved Brodie and Gabrielle, they were really good for each other and helped each other heal from their past traumas. I'm not going to reveal those trauma's as I don't want to take anything away from the story for those who have yet to read Beautifully Used but the trauma's in their pasts make so many things about their presents clear.
They have very sad tales to reveal to each other and I've wanted to know Brodie's story since meeting him in Jackson's book Beautifully Wounded. Jackson had hinted at a story that explained why Brodie slept around and avoided relationships but he wouldn't tell the story as he said it wasn't his to tell.
There was some drama in the story with a threat manifesting against Gabrielle which ultimately helped bring her and Brodie together although they were already attracted to each other from having met the previous year but each believed the other hated them and didn't want them around! Total crossed wires but they worked everything out in the end which I'm happy about as now both Beaumont brothers have their perfect partners in life! ****Edit**** I've now had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook as well and I loved the narrators! It was so easy to listen too and I enjoyed every minute! Made my trips to and from work much more bearable!
Well this book, Beautifully used has very thing a romance novel should have, I found it Full of mystery and drama.
Brodie Beaumont, Is handsome and sauce, he know how to make you swoon, but he never with the same women twice, Brodie's this way because of his past and he doesn't feel he can get past it.
Gabrielle come into the picture because her best friend is getting married, she has had an encounter with Brodie before only to slap him after he's kissed her. Gabrielle really doesn't want anything to do with him, but the two are thrown together.
You will fall in love with Brodie has you continue to read and understand why he is the way he is with women, his past has more to do with it . Gabrielle is also trying to put a horrible past behind her, so putting these two together you will find they can heal each other.
There is definitely a lot of chemistry between Gabrielle and Brodie, they struggle at first but both are drawn to each other.
Susan Griscom has truly written a wonderful book and I gave it 5 stars, she explored how two broken people can find their perfect one and find true love within each other, how together they can find a love to grow old with.
This book is easy to read and can be a stand alone book, but you will love the series so please read book 1. You definitely want be able to put it down.
Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Chelle: *Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review
Oh, I liked this one even more than Beautifully Wounded. Susan channels Gabby and Brodie beautifully, and the tension is great.
A bass playing, bar manager playboy meets singer/songwriter and aspiring author, each with tragic pasts to overcome, each with love to give... and each willing to work towards getting the HEA they're initially not sure they deserve.
While Beautifully Used still has its painfully dark moments, Susan proves that she's becoming a master at taking emotionally scarred characters and bringing them together to heal until they reach their HEA.
Most definitely recommended for contemporary romance readers looking for a fun and emotional story with some drama. Beautifully Used is book #2 of the BEAUMONT BROTHERS series but stands just fine on its own, however, once you meet Jackson and Lena, you're probably going to want to know more. Just sayin'. ;-)
Brodie Beaumont has suffered a broken heart. He cannot deal with commitment, so he doesn’t. Meaningless one-night stands are his thing.
Gabrielle Demeres does not trust men because of her tragic past. She cannot get close to anyone without becoming afraid.
When Brodie meets Gabrielle, he is instantly attracted to her. Unfortunately she does not fall for his playboy ways.
A year later when they meet, they are still attracted to each other. Because of how things ended between them a year ago, they are constantly walking on eggshells around each other.
Because of Brodie’s brother’s wedding to Gabriella best friend, they cannot avoid each other. As they get to know each other, they realize that their first impressions of each other are way off base.
I loved book number 2 just as much as I loved book 1. Susan Griscom did a wonderful job with this story. Brodie and Gabrielle were wonderful together!
5 stars This is a book I am very glad I got to review. I have not read the first one, Beautifully Wounded, but like Beautifully Used, it can be read as a stand alone. I am starting on the first one as soon as I can! This one follows Brodie as he struggles to overcome the horror of his past with the one woman he thought would be his forever. He is not into relationships at the moment. He prefers to be used by as many sexy women as he can find. Until he tangles with Gabrielle. Gabby has a terrible past of her own. One she thinks she has put behind her. But as she and Brodie are thrown together by her best friend marrying Brodie's brother, it is in they inevitable that the sparks will fly! They struggle to become friends, to share their deepest fears and sorrow. Their friendship grows and blossoms, past everything that is thrown at them. It goes without saying that the sexual chemistry is hotter than hot!
I loved getting the chance to get to know Brodie Beaumont. His handsome brother Jackson was in the first book, Beautifully Wounded and we got to see tiny bits and pieces of Brodie. In this book we really get to know Brodie and how sexy this man truly is.
I am happy to say that Gabrielle, Lena's friend from the first book also came back to town to be in Lena and Jackson's wedding.
The last encounter Brodie had with Gabrielle wasn't so good. See Brodie is known to love em and leave em. When he tried to kiss Gabrielle last time, she slapped him and was left with a bad taste in her mouth of what kind of man she has heard he is.
Can Gabrielle get through to Brodie's heart or should we say can Brodie convince Gabrielle that he is not the man she thinks he is?
There are so many surprises in this book and the more you read the better it gets!
I loved this book! And I must be honest that I had my doubts about this book in the beginning. Especially when it started with a scene with Brodie and another woman. But the author clearly did this to tell us who Brodie is. A tormented guy who sleeps around, a different woman every night, sometimes he sticks with the same woman for a couple more nights, but that’s it. No commitment. And all because of what happened to him in the past.
Normally I’m not a fan of manwhore books, but the author did a good job with this book. I wouldn’t give it 5 stars otherwise. I didn’t despise Brodie in this book, although the book starts with him and another woman, that didn’t bother me. Brodie redeemed himself in this book and was a great guy. The moment he is reunited with Gabby he stops sleeping around. For weeks (maybe even months) he hasn’t slept with anyone, purely because Gabby is around and staying in his house. He doesn’t want to bring women home when she’s around and isn’t interested in leaving her alone by sleeping at another woman’s place. But his main reason it that he doesn’t want Gabby to think he is “that guy”. He has the reputation of a manwhore and knows she’s aware of that but he wants to prove that he can be monogamous and a committed man. He wants to be better for Gabby. And he was so sweet with her! Gosh it was swoon worthy. He took things slow with her, learned from his mistakes and wanted her to completely trust him.
We get to learn about both Brodie’s and Gabby’s past and that was heartbreaking. They’ve been through a lot and together they challenged their past to become better. Gabby was a sweet woman with a good heart. She didn’t care about status, the only thing that mattered to her was a person’s heart. They were so cute together and they made a perfect couple.
The bad guy situation is a bit over the top and quickly resolved in the end. That plot wasn’t really necessary for the story, but I think I understand why the author went that way. It showed Gabby’s vulnerability and Brodie’s protectiveness.
The book is part of a series, but you can read it as a standalone. I didn’t read the first book, but that wasn’t an issue at all. Perhaps not reading the first book made me like Brodie more. If his manwhore ways were described in the first book, I certainly would’ve started this book with an assumption. But that wasn’t the case and I loved him. This was a great read and I’m interested in reading more books from this author.
Gabby met Brodie last year when she came to Turtle Lake to visit her friend Lena. The meeting did not go so well. Brodie kissed her and groped her which earned him a slap to the face.
Brodie is sure that Gabby hates him. Gabby is sure that Brodie hates her. Now Gabby is back for 2 weeks to help Lena & Jackson with their upcoming wedding and Brodie's 1st task is to pick her up super early in the morning.
The 2 finally clear the air about what happened 1 year ago and now that Gabby is staying in Brodie's house, they find a nice friendship.
After sharing some information about their past they try to move on together. They both have thought about that kiss for 1 year. They want to do it again but Brodie knows something strange is going on with Gabby when it comes to physical attention so he is being respectful and taking it slow.
This is a nice story of a troubled girl who is not sure why things happened to her. She blames herself a bit but Brodie helps her understand that at a young age we do not see the same choices as we do as an adult. And Brodie is so taken with Gabby that nothing can detour him from trying to be a good boyfriend. Brodie's character stops sleeping around, even before Gabby gets there.
Brodie is sweet, heroic and a little bad boy. Of course, we love that.
Although Beautifully Used by Susan Griscom is the second book in the Beaumont Brothers series, it worked well as a stand alone. At 295 pages, this book can easily be read in one sitting. The pace is good and the characters are interesting. Brodie Beaumont and Gabrielle Demeres are reunited when Jackson Beaumont marries Gabrielle's best friend, Lena. Both Brodie and Gabrielle have things in their pasts that have made them bitter and slow to trust. After being forced to spend some time together, these two discover that when there is real danger, they can find a way to get through it together. I'm ready for the next book in the series: Beautifully Undone!
Gabby is attending her bff's wedding & has to stay at the house of the guy who tried to seduce her a year ago...said guy is the soon-to-be-brother-in-law of bff (Brodie). They bicker or ignore each other...until the wedding. Brodie saves Gabby from an assault and they start getting close. The rest of the story, the two share secrets...stalker goes berserk...no more spoilers...read the book and get swept away.
I listened to this book on Audible. The narration was good so it added to the enjoyment of the book. Being the second in the series, I believe it could also be read as a stand alone. No cliffhangers. Just a couple of common characters — the brothers obviously— and severs of their friends! A book that could hit chords with many people probably. I actually thought the “bad guy” was going to be someone else. Definitely could have been! A great “rescue me” book!
This story deals with the relationship between Brodie and Gabrielle who have both suffered horrible experiences in their past. While the story was well-written, it deals with child abuse, abortion and suicide. While Brodie's character turns from a hedonistic jerk into someone that is likable, it is difficult to believe that someone would change that much in a few months. I guess that this story is too much like the evening news to be delighted with the HEA at the end. Just my thoughts...
Guhh--finished enough at 95%. Bad guy caught and done in. Can't stand it. Main guy's still a turd-waffle walking, I can't deal. He says that women are meaningless towards the end of the book--absolutely zero growth.
Terrible characterizations, definitely think the hand that wrote about a writer who wants to write romance novels should go back to the drawing board with this one. Will not be back.
Brody is just a man-wh$re plain and simple. No one knows the real reason why. Gabrielle has her own demons. This author does a beautiful job with a tender and emotional subject and handles it with love. Great story
I loved the story of Brodie. Their back ground stories made them who they were up until they met a second time. Then love and trust flowed. Loved the story. Narration was awesome too.
It was a good read. Loved the characters but the story line is not new. Both Beaumont brothers are easy to love and trust. Maybe I need to switch my style.of reading?
This is one of the best books I’ve read. I really enjoyed the way you wrote the love scene as gentle, loving, & caring. I loved how Brodys character changes during the book. Great Read!!
**Copy provided by Author, in exchange for an honest review**
Rating: 4.5 STARS
We first met Brodie from book one of the Beaumont Brothers series. He is Jackson’s manwhore brother, who never spent a day alone. Well at least not until he gave Gabrielle a real chance. After reading the first book and getting a glimpse of Brodie, I couldn’t wait to read his story. It’s totally worth it, that’s for sure.
Brodie has his manwhore way for a reason, the same reason that he promised himself to never give his heart away again. Not wanting to be hurt again, he started using woman for the night, while they got the same benefit of also using his body. But when his future sister-in-laws best friend came to visit to help out with the wedding, everything changed. As much as they tried to keep away from each other, they were always thrown together for being the best man and the maid of honor. It was hard in the beginning, until they started to open themselves up to each other. Then that awful night happened, that sealed the deal of their friendship. Brodie became very protective of Gabrielle, while she enjoyed their time together. Little by little, they got closer…until their friendship became more. Will these two find a place in each others hearts? Read and find out.
This was definitely an enjoyable read. Jackson’s was so alpha male adorable and so sweet. Poor Gabriel for having to go through such horrible experiences, I felt for her. But those experiences also helped her grow to be a stronger woman and with Brodie around, she became more and more the woman that she should have been. Great story, can’t wait to read more.