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NEW & EXPANDED 2016 EDITION

Grace Kendall knows what it’s like to have life knock you on your butt. She’s been through hell and made it back. She’s fine with trusting no one and expecting nothing until a night wind blows something quite unexpected onto her doorstep in the rain.

The scruffy, yet gorgeous enigma known as Nathan Henley steps inside her apartment and brings with him all those feelings Grace has tried so hard to tuck safely away. Beneath his bruised and damaged exterior, she senses all the dark and beautiful secrets lost within the tarnished diamond of his lonely heart.

She resists his mystery as long as she can, but she knows that any woman would gladly throw themselves against his rock hard chest and shatter helplessly into a million lustful pieces.

When Grace finally decides to trust again, her ex-boyfriend Jack returns to her life with his crooked grin and the past comes crashing down. With the world spinning all around her, Grace must do more than trust, she must fight for the salvation of her own lonely heart.

*Standalone novel. No cliffhanger. Contains explicit language and sex.*

Books in the EVERLASTING SERIES (interconnected, stand-alone books):
NATE
BEAUTIFUL RUIN
MAGNIFICENT RUIN
JESSE'S GIRL
EVERLASTING RUIN

328 pages, Unknown Binding

First published September 15, 2014

42 people are currently reading
743 people want to read

About the author

Alison Foster

18 books138 followers
USA Today Bestselling author Alison Foster loves reading a good love story almost as much as she loves writing one. She spends her time dreaming up strong heroes and even stronger heroines and she enjoys finding unexpected strengths within her characters when they are in the most unexpected places.

She believes that passion makes the world go round and that a sexy grin is as sweet as candy. She loves interacting with readers, so feel free to drop her a line.

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5 stars
47 (24%)
4 stars
55 (28%)
3 stars
56 (29%)
2 stars
27 (14%)
1 star
6 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Alison Foster.
Author 18 books138 followers
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September 19, 2014
I shrug and let him in, watching his strong back and perfect butt saunter into the living room.
“You’re not going to strip again, are you?” I can’t help myself. I always sound more condescending than I mean to whenever he’s around.
“Would you like me to?” he says without smiling.
“I’ll take a rain check.”
“Should I come back when it rains?” he says, still humorless.
I stand facing him but keep my distance. “Why do you talk like that?”
He exhales. Maybe he’s finally losing patience with me. “I don’t know, Grace. Why do you assume the worst of me?”
He moves a little closer. We’re standing a foot apart, facing each other, completely awkward in our mutual confusion as to the other’s intentions. Being so close to him causes my vital signs to alter noticeably.
“Nate, I don’t mean to,” I start to say but he stops me, putting a finger on his lips, signaling me to stop talking. I stop.
“The past is gone,” he urges. “We’re friends, let’s do what friends do.”
We were never friends. We’ve been friendly but up until a couple weeks ago, we never met or even called each other unless it was about something related to the animal shelter.
I take a couple steps back. “Nate, if you told me what it is that you want from me and why you’ve been acting so strange since the night you showed up at my doorstep injured, I might be able to do the friend thing.”
Nice try, Grace. Being friends is the last thing I want.
“Fuck that,” he says. “All that other stuff is bullshit. What do I want? I want to make love to you. I thought it was obvious.”
46 reviews
April 20, 2016
This book was a really good read. I was not sure what to expect since I had won it on Goodreads, but I'm happy I enjoyed this book.

It has everything you want it a book. A broken girl. A broken boy. And their love store.

They have their hard start and ups and down and there are some very nice sex scenes.

The girl in this book reminded me of myself in some ways and that helped me get into the story line even more.

If you looking for a good storyline you should definitely read this book.
Profile Image for Tasha.
1,490 reviews26 followers
June 5, 2015
As I read the pre-quel to Beautiful Ruin I couldn't help but want to wash away Nate's sadness and pain. Sometimes when you give up a door opens and brings the thing you thought you gave up on... As I read this book I hoped and prayed that Grace could soothe away Nate's sadness, pain, hurt, and all the bad he sees in himself. Learning what turned him into the man he was/is almost tore my heart out of my chest, it's not hard to understand now why he does the things he does.
656 reviews1 follower
June 1, 2015
Grace has very few people in her life so volunteering at an animal shelter gives her much needed comfort. Nate is Grace's fellow worker at the shelter but seems to live life as a transient. Nate asks Grace for help but as she gets to know him there seems to be something off about his situation. This book will keep you reading just to find out Nate's secret.
Profile Image for Jamie Sadler.
295 reviews11 followers
September 22, 2014
Interesting story. Nate, Grace, Taylor, Thomas, and Jake are all screwed up. As they intermingle with each other and work through their own issues they learn of deceit as well as love. A lot of issues left open in this one, cant wait for the next book to see them resolved.
Profile Image for Gail Moshier.
50 reviews1 follower
May 30, 2015
Great story!!

When I started reading this, I wasn't sure I would like it. But the more I got into it, the better I liked it!!! I highly recommend it, many unexpected twists and turns!!! Enjoy!!!
Profile Image for Shannon Davison.
1,386 reviews11 followers
May 29, 2015
Healing Each Other

Can two people who are broken heal each other by loving them? Grace and Nate have some things in common, but he deals with his issues differently. Her ex wants her back so he tries to ruin her relationship with Nate.
Profile Image for Maria "Rosie" Poli.
200 reviews11 followers
October 5, 2014
Finding love when we have given up.

Grace is alone and she’s fine with that. She is hurting from a past relationship and trying to move on with her life. She volunteers at an animal shelter and works at her friend’s aromatherapy shop. She meets Nate at the shelter; Nate is a scruffy looking lost soul. Grace is surprised when he reaches out to her and comes crashing into her life. The interaction between them is confusing at times; but Nate has feelings for Grace and she slowly opens up to him. Nate ends up not being who he portrays to be, which comes as a shock to Grace. Slowly they get involved.

Then Grace’s ex-boyfriend, Jack, shows up out of the blue and rocks the boat. He comes with shocking news and not so nice intentions. He ends up creating a big wedge between Nate and Grace; Nate leaves. It is heartbreaking as Grace tries to figure out what happened.

In the meantime Grace’s friend, Taylor, who owns the shop; has her own problems to deal with. Taylor’s problems end up in a very dramatic turn. I liked this story very much, but I wanted more development between Grace and Nate; I want more of them. The ending felt rushed. Grace and Nate, are two lost souls who find light in each other. There is hope and we find it in those we least expect it.
2,880 reviews17 followers
September 1, 2015
I received this free book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic! Grace Kendall was lost her parents when she was nine. She broke up with her long time boyfriend when she found out he was cheating on her, and has closed herself off emotionally. Nathan Henley also lost his parents at a very young age. He was physically and emotionally abused in the foster care system, and also emotionally closed off. The two meet at the local animal shelter. Nathan decides he wants Grace and slowly gains her trust and love. Grace's conniving ex will try to get her back and destroy her relationship with Nathan. Wow, sizzling hot sex and dangerous criminals. I loved this book!
Profile Image for Gwen Popen.
149 reviews
May 30, 2015
I found the characters lacking. I never got a sense of who they were. I found myself frustrated near the end. it felt rushed like the author wanted to be done with it. I felt I was reading an YA book and some parts read like a bad romance novel. I believe the book could have been better, maybe if there wasn't so much carp thrown at the end. If a few more descriptions and details would have been added...
2,253 reviews18 followers
April 19, 2016
I enjoyed this story. It has some mystery and romance with some twist and turns. Nate and Grace meet at an animal shelter they both volunteer at. Nate and Grace are two heartbroken souls that are damaged in different ways because of their pasts. Will Nate and Grace help each other heal? This story has great storyline and will not disappoint. You will like the characters.
Profile Image for Misty.
533 reviews13 followers
July 3, 2015
OK I'm happy with this book it was real.
Profile Image for Mary Winstead.
1,263 reviews16 followers
December 9, 2017
Grace's cheating ex Jack comes back into her life wanting more. Thankfully Grace is smarter than that. Grace's animal shelter co-worker Nate starts hanging out more asking to stay with her. She says ok but isn't really sure. She has a broken past, and Mate promises to help her fix herself. Well when jealous ex Jack learns of this he causes so much trouble can it be fixed??? Not going to ruin it for you guys. You need to read great story plot.
Profile Image for Catherine Bibby (Rochelle's Reviews).
939 reviews35 followers
April 14, 2016
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Since reading Nate and becoming obsessed with the handsome playboy and his budding relationship with Grace, I immediately dove right into Beautiful Ruin. Alison Foster just has a way of drawing me in to her intense fictional worlds and keeping me there until the end of the book when I come up for a cleansing breath. I couldn't wait to see how things would unfold between Grace and the scruffy, baggy clothed Nate that was hiding his gorgeous looks from the world. Beautiful Ruin is a mystery filled scorching read that has many hidden gems inside about this enigmatic couple.

Nate Henley or “Nathan” as he likes for Grace to call him has been struggling with depression and hiding himself under a disguise since tragedy befell a friend of his and he felt responsible. After meeting the sweet and caring Grace, he is enchanted but keeps his distance. That is until he realizes that life is to short and decides to shed his ruffled less attractive persona and pursue a deeper relationship with her. The sweet and pensive Nathan is so different from the sexy player that he once was and I couldn't help falling for his new softer exterior and the raw sex appeal that still lays underneath just waiting to resurface.

Grace Kendall spends her time in a shelter helping abused animals and among the baths and feedings is the mysterious unkept Nate who has piqued her interest. When he shows up at her door bruised and wanting to take things to a more personal level, Grace is left confused with swirling feelings for this secretive man that she has recently befriended. Add in an old boyfriend who wants back into the picture and Grace's body and heart are hurdling down a path that could lead to happiness or utter destruction. Grace immediately charmed me with her giving heart and her wariness of having her heart broken by Nate.

Alison Foster delivers dark and mysterious heroes and headstrong heroines that truly stay with the reader long after their story is over. I become ecstatic when I read one of her books and she brings her well loved characters back to play and combines two of her fictional worlds. I highly recommend for a sexy suspense that bewilders, titillates, and leaves you in love with yet more characters.
59 reviews1 follower
September 25, 2016
This was read for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. There were enough twists to keep it you guessing all the way. A bit of suspense, angst and hot sex scenes. Taylor and Tomas met when he helped save her and her friends/work mates a few months back, (First book in the Everlastingly Series). Taylor was beaten in the attack and is staying with Tomas on a beautiful Island to get her mojo back. They are there as friends, but things start heating up after Taylor has an erotic dream about Tomas. What follows is an emotional journey with lots of secrets, fighting, kidnapping, hero work and did I mention sex? A good read.
Profile Image for Shay.
514 reviews4 followers
May 27, 2015
This is a romance between two seriously messed up people with some seriously messed up friends. The story was good though Nate/Nathan gave me the creeps most of the time rather than made me think "ooh, how hot!" And she was a bit of an idiot between her interactions with Nate and Jack. Not a bad read, but not great.
Profile Image for Ashley Strand.
114 reviews1 follower
Read
February 12, 2016
Y'all, this book was absolutely revolting. I enjoy a good "romance" novel one in a while, but this...this was one of the worst books I have ever read. The characters are idiotic, the writing is horrid, and scenes are as raunchy as they can get.
Profile Image for Laura Reinhart .
427 reviews4 followers
April 7, 2016
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Alison does an amazing job of connecting you with the characters. The storyline is not predictable you never know what's gonna happen. Another great read and the reason she is one of my go to Authors
Profile Image for Kelly Yekel.
717 reviews2 followers
November 4, 2016
Enjoyable!

I did enjoy this book though, I have to admit, I found it a little hard to follow. The characters banter was fun, however, I just couldn't follow why they were so secretive about the past and their reasons for the behavior of showing that they cared.
75 reviews1 follower
May 24, 2015
Meh

Decent style but the characters seemed a little hollow. It's difficult to get invested in a character that is not much more than a pretty shadow.
132 reviews3 followers
February 22, 2018
Hmm maybe? I don'the remember this book. I must have put it down for a different book.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

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