“The Brute by Tarrah Anders is an amazing spin on a classic fairytale. The story of Bella and Ben had me hooked from the very beginning and kept me hooked to the very end.” “If you are after a quick steamy read with so much heart and soul to the story then The Brute is a must read for you. You wont be able to stop yourself from falling in love with Ben and Bella.” Benjamin Adams. He's an @$$! But why? People have said that once upon a time he was charming and one of the friendliest men around. After a series of events, he became the owner of his father's company and was no longer the nice young man that he used to be. He was a beast! Then she comes along and thaws him from his iciness. She breathes new life into him, but revenge has its way of wanting to destroy him again.
Tarrah Anders is a contemporary romance author who is all about the feels, with the twists of sexy mixed in between. Writing has always been a passion and Tarrah loves to share her words, her characters and the world that they live in with her readers. Tarrah enjoys creating characters that you can be friends with, so get ready to make some new friends.
She is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, but living in beautiful San Diego with her family, while being a badass boss CEO in Real Estate!
Brute is an entertaining quick read with awesome characters. Ben and Bella’s chemistry was great, and Tarrah Anders’ writing kept me on the edge of my seat. I ended up binge reading this one because I had to know what was coming next.
Spent my Saturday reading this gem and I couldn’t be happier!!
This was such a steamy version of the classic beauty and the beast. I just read this for the second time as I needed some “me” time. It’s the perfect weekend escape.
Benjamin the “brute” and Bella (beauty) engage in a taboo relationship between boss and assistant. I felt genuine character connection and plot depth.
As I have come to expect, Tarrah Anders is brilliant at packing a serious punch in a short amount of pages. Somehow she is able to fill her short stories to the brim with full characters, real emotions and some seriously steamy scenes. The Brute is no different. From the first page I was in love with Benjamin, his type of Brutness is just enough to be appealing in a character because you can tell his additive towards life, how jaded he is, comes from something deep from his past. He isn't a jerk to e very one around him because he is spoiled and entitled to because he believes he is better than everyone else. He is this way because of past trauma, but you'll have to read it to find out what that is ;) Now Isabella, Bella is wonderful. I love the way she stands up to him without coming off as an over the top business woman, there is no harshness to her. Her softness without being flimsy is what makes her such a fun characters. While others saw the Brute, she saw a man misunderstood and was rewarded with the man he was hiding behind all of that past pain. Overall, The Brute was really fun to read. Light of angst but heavy on sexual tension and chemistry. If you have enjoyed past works by this author I think you will also enjoy this one, and if you are new to her this would be a fun place to start! -Mackenzie
A modern day telling of Beauty and the beast with some naughty bits thrown on to keep your attention. I loved how Benjamin wasn't afraid of the feelings he had toward Bella. But I think he should have told her from the very beginning what his past was, jus so she wasn't surprised with anything. the rest of the story was beautiful. with some drama and some twists for the strong willed Bella. I'm glad they got their HEA.
The Brute was a great read. I loved Ben and Bella. I thought they were really great together. The chemistry between them was amazing! Ben was closed off and difficult and I loved how Bella came in and changed him from his beasty ways! I loved how they handled their relationship at work and at home! Great read!
Office romance is one of my favorite tropes and this one was a pleasant surprise! It did not disappoint. Ben is an ass, but something about Belle brings out the sweet in him. The attraction between the two is super hot. I really loved this story.
People have said that once upon a time he was charming and one of the friendliest men around. After a series of events, he became the owner of his father's company and was no longer the nice young man that he used to be.
He was a beast!
Then she comes along and thaws him from his iciness. She breathes new life into him, but revenge has its way of wanting to destroy him again.
This is the first book I have read from this author and she blew me away. I love a good contemporary romance but this book exceeded all my expectations. I was hooked on this story from the very beginning. These characters made me read all through the night. It only took me a few hours to devour this incredible book.
Benjamin Adams is known to be cold and very hard headed. He used to be the opposite until some devastation took his life away. Ben is now the owner of his father’s company. He takes his work very seriously. Ben is known as the beast at work until he meets her. Isabella is not like any other woman Ben has ever met. She knows how to handle him and his moods. Isabella goes toe to toe with him when she thinks he is wrong and he loves that about her. Ben starts to feel more for Isabella which is his new assistant but does she feel the same way? Will Ben get his happy ending or will his past come back to destroy it all?
I absolutely loved this book. The storyline has it all romance, suspense, and compromise. You will fall in love with these characters right from the start. Ben is very cold and moody due to his past that he just can’t get over. When he starts taking some of his walls down he will turn into a Prince Charming. The way he treats Isabella will make you swoon. Isabella is a beautiful woman with a very good head on her shoulders. She is not afraid of Ben and she starts to actually like him. These two characters have some steamy scenes that will make your temperature rise. This talented author will keep you at the edge of your seat until the end. I loved how she put a spin on a classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. I can’t wait to see what this author will have for us next.
The Brute by Tarrah Anders was another addicting read. If you’re looking for a fast-paced sexy office romance where the Beauty tames the Beast with a little revenge twisted in; this book will have you up-all-night!
Ben is the CEO of Adams Enterprises who will fire someone for just looking at him the wrong way. Ben needs a new assistant because they keep quitting on him (I wonder why). In walks Bella a small-town farmer’s daughter, but she can hold her own when it comes to Ben and she has him figured out. At Bella’s three month evaluation besides telling Bella how good she is at her job, Ben ask Bella to be his date to a Gala. This is just the beginning of their office romance…
Like I have said before about Tarrah’s books, she knows how to write some hot steamy scenes that will leave you needing a cold shower afterward. You will fall hard and fast in love with Ben and Bella; they are just so cute together and balance one another perfectly.
Benjamin Adams has made it very clear he is a jerk. He is the boss of a large tech company and gave up everything to help keep his fathers legacy. When his newest assistant is hired, he wonders how long she will last. That is until he meets Isabella, she puts up with his gruff behavior but doesn't back down when he takes his frustration out on her. Ben though knows it is only a matter of time before he acts on the chemistry between them but will it be more than just an affair?
Enjoyable quick read. I thought Ben was a jerk but once you get his back story you understand his hardened shell. Perfect for a relaxing day.
I enjoyed this book from the beginning to end. It is my favorite from this author so far. I loved the two characters Benjamin and Bella. One is feisty enough to push the other to limits. One wants the other to the point he can't stop thinking about her. They push each other to be better which is why I think they made great characters. They are lovable and relateable. They have such chemistry together, I kept hoping they would find their happy ever after. I highly suggest this book.
I was given an advanced readers copy of this book and have decided to leave a voluntary honest review. I just love office romance books, I think it's the whole secretcy factor, and the trill of possibley getting caught. Ben was a true @ss there was no denying that fact. But he was also professional, ambitious and extremely successful. Plus after his past I can't blame him he is only human. Bella was devoted, go getter, smart. She fit Ben perfectly. I adored the both of them.
This is one of those perfect books to read after a long hard week. It's light and easy, low on angst, and full of humor, sexy times and romance.
I read this from beginning to end in one sitting. It's so nice to read a strong female character(s) who love their jobs and don't need to cut others down.
I have enjoyed everything I've read from this author and look forward to reading more in the future .
This is a great spin on the fairytale Beauty and the Beast. We meet Ben who is “stuck” running his late Father’s business after he parents both passed away due to an accident. Ben had just graduated from college and had other plans, but it was required that he run his inherited business. He also has a back history related to romantic relationships, all making him bitter about his life. He is abrupt and rough at work, thereby earning the nickname The Brute. He goes through multiple admin assistants, but one day Bella walks into his office and is introduced as his new assistant. Ben is instantly attracted to Bella, but he contains it for a while, eventually asking her to accompany him to a benefit. Things blossom from here, but not all is smooth.
I really enjoyed this book, the story was well written and flowed nicely. Ben and Bella were hot together and had loads of chemistry.
Ok can we just take a moment to absorb the beauty of this cover a one more time before I jump into reviewing this book? It is just absolutely gorgeous, by far one of my absolute favorite covers that I have discovered this year! I would display this in a poster form all day, every day, and never get sick of looking at this cover!
“Fairy tales are never happy, sweet stories. They’re moral stories about overcoming the dark side and the bad.” –Joe Wright
Tarrah Anders has really swept me away with this novel. I have only read a few of her other titles and as much as I loved them all, this is my now all-time favorite from her. I will be making sure this book graces my bookshelves to be devoured again and again in the future. I may be a bit biased in the sense that I have an obsession with fairy tales. When I read the quote from Joe Wright as the precursor to this novel I knew that I was in for a treat and not once was I let down. Taking on the classic of Beauty and The Beast and spinning it into a modern day fairy tale to adore was not something that could or should be taken lightly and Tarrah Anders delivered!
In a hot, steamy, and fast paced novel we get the tale of Benjamin, Ben, and Bella. Ben used to be a man that everyone loved and wanted to be around. A set of unfortunate events finds Ben as the CEO of Adams Enterprises, his father’s company. His bigger than life persona comes out now in a gruff and off-putting way. He is known to fire someone just for breathing in his space at the wrong time. His attitude and quick to fire personality has him in a lurch and in need of a new assistant. He can’t seem to keep a good one around. Here is where we get to meet Isabella, or Bella.
“I run this place. That’s my job. I pay someone to do the other sh&t for me.”
Bella is a sweet small town girl, the farmer’s daughter. She comes off as timid and quite on the outside but Ben may just have found his match in Bella. She has his games figured out and knows how to handle his brash attitude.
“She’s beautiful.”
“What is it about her?”
During the Bella’s three month evaluation Ben tells her that she is doing her job and doing it well. He also uses this opportunity to TELL her to join him as his date for the Gala.
“Her performance would be better if she pleased me the way she does in my fantasies.”
“I’m a difficult person to work for, although you’ve seemed to be able to handle my moods. Is that a problem for you? My difficulty?”
“I don’t think you are difficult. I think you are misunderstood.”
“The Gala on Friday night. You’re attending, as my date.”
You see he needs Bella to attend to show to the world that the side of him that only she sees in him right now. Added bonus, he finds her absolutely desirable and the center of his deepest darkest fantasies too.
“She’s right. In the past, I have always hired a stand-in escort to attend events with me. It seemed the best solution to have someone who wouldn’t ask for more time or emotion than I would care to give, someone I could trust to be discreet, and someone who would be available to me if I so choose. I’ve never indulged in that benefit of the agreement, but the option was always there. I’d just needed someone who knew her duty was to smile and be present, so I wasn’t presented to the public as a complete recluse. Because, even though I do keep myself isolated, I need to maintain appearances for the benefit of my company. Sometimes those appearances include the image that I have a personal life.”
“Ben wouldn’t take the risk if it was just a fleeting moment of carnal weakness. There must be more to his attraction.”
The attraction between the two is seriously red-hot, steaming off the page and giving you hot-flashes as you read hot! Of course, no fairy tale is perfect right? There is a lesson to be learned and as in the realest of all fairy tales the road from the beginning to that happily ever after is paved with blood, sweat, and tears. Will Ben and Bella be able to grow this beyond an office romance fling? Can they find that happily ever after together? You will not be disappointed you picked up this beauty of a novel. I can’t wait to devour another Tarrah Ander’s novel as soon as possible!
“My anxiety is spiraling because I’m not completely sure what is in store for my future. Did I f@ck it all up by falling for my boss? Could I have ignored the feelings that I kept hidden from everyone? Did I just lose the single most important person in my life?”
“When Bella first came to work for me, I wasn’t living. I was just working; I was a drone. I was like a dying flower, but she repotted me, fed me and made me better than I was before. Bella renewed me.”
“Over the length of our relationship, we’ve teased ONE another with the nicknames of Beauty and the Beast. Its rung true from time to time, as I have been known to be a bit of a scary individual and she, well, she couldn’t be more beautiful.”
The Brute by Tarrah Anders was an hot, steamy twist, modern take on a old fairy tail.
Not my first read from this author, so I knew going in, that the writing was going to be on point, witty and.. steamy. I was not disappointed. Told in dual POV, we are first tossed into Ben's head. (Just to add in here, his last name is Adams, if you're a die-hard Disney fan, like me, you'll get this easter egg.) Ben, though does not have the appearance of a beast, has a nasty personality, and a walled up heart, making him unapproachable and standoffish. It's made apparent in the first few lines that Ben is a thunder c|*|*|. He's the type of person that, you just want to throat punch after he open his mouths. It is explained why he is so nasty, it a matter of, people tend to deal with lose in their own ways. As much as I didn't like his show/mast of being a d|*|*|*|, I did very much loved, and enjoyed his character. (Truth be told, I didn't want him to change..)
The only thing that I wold have liked to see more of was him being a Tbag. Everything was told to me as to how he was a professional jerk. But when the chance arose to really drive the point home, like in meetings with other humans, they were skipped over. Same with the initial intro to Bella, he was a douch, but again things were skipped a head a few months and, again I was told about their interactions, and didn't see much of it before things got smuty.
Bella, I liked her well enough, but I felt she was a but too perfect. I don't know, but I wasn't fully on board with her as a character, or the main love interest. Ben out shined her, and I feel like the building blocks were their for Bella to be on par with Ben; but for me, she didn't quite make it all the way up the steps. Don't get me wrong, Bella was a great character and she did have her moments. But I believe that if some extra time was taken to showcase her's and Ben interactions, before getting to the sexy bits( like them going toe to toe in a heated argument, or her soothing his moody jacka**ness), then it would have added that much more of a punch, and spark, to not only her as a a lead MC, but it would have made their growing affection more intense. (Kind of like how Bella snapped at Beast when she was cleaning his wound. That one scene was a game changer.)
Overall I very much enjoyed this different, non magical take on one of my favourite fair tale classic. I do have high standards when it comes to fairy take retellings, and even higher when the magic is taken out. I have to say that this piece, for me, was a 9 out 10. It not only kept the essence of the original, but made it realistic. Ben and Bella could be real people, their whole situation could have happened, and that alone makes this adaptation stand out and shine in a sea of similar books.
If you haven't guested, this is a high recommend from me, it's a quick read that's perfect for late nights, or a hot summers day. Just keep some cold water handy, cause the sun isn't the only heart you're going to feel.
The story The Brute by Tarrah Anders is a romantic book that I fell in love with. It hooked me in and I didn’t want to put it down until I had finished the last page. I loved the storyline and the characters. Benjamin Adams is considered by those who work for him to be a cold, hard man. He doesn’t show emotions. That starts to change when he meets her. She knows how to handle Benjamin. She is not afraid to go toe-to-toe with him and express her opinion. She is also the woman that is making him feel alive again. He feels protective of her. These two have a strong connection/attraction to each other. Will she also win over his heart? All through this story I wanted this couple to find an HEA. Read to find out if they do. This is a book that has scenes between Benjamin and the woman that he is falling for that will warm your heart. There are also some very steamy scenes that have the temperature in the room rising. The story does move at a faster pace however it doesn’t take away from the overall experience that you have reading it. There are also other characters that are introduced and I enjoyed reading how they interact with the couple. This is a book that I would highly recommend reading.
The Brute by Tarrah Anders was a great read. It's a book about the beauty ( Isabella Dubois ) and the beast ( Benjamin Adams )
Benjamin has been thru a lot of heartbreak in his life. His parents died in a tragic accident and then he found out his fiancé was cheating on him with someone he never would've expected. Once his parents passed away, he had to take over his fathers company and his life had changed which lead up to losing his fiancé. He became angry and everyone who worked for him was scared of the big bad CEO.
He couldn't keep a personal assistant for more then a month or so. He was tired of interviewing so he had HR do the interviews and boring process. Then he met his new assistant Isabella and right away he was attracted to her. He fought the desires towards her for months until he couldn't anymore.
How would Isabella react when he tells her how he feels and what he wants from her. What will happen when Ben's past comes literally crashing into his future and he finds himself in the same hospital again as he was when everything happened with Renae?
I thought this was a well written book and I enjoyed getting to know the characters.
This was my first Tarrah Anders book, but it won’t be my last! She keeps the story moving so well that you don’t realize you’ve already consumed half of the book until you come up for air.
Bella and Ben were perfectly matched here. Ben knows he’s a difficult person (his exact description of himself was a tad less PG, but very funny) and he knows that his past made him this way. He lost his parents, his dream, a girl, and a friend, almost back to back, years ago. Because of this, he’s closed himself off and has worried about keeping his family’s legacy alive and well. While he succeeds in this, he is lonely and feels disconnected from life.
Bella comes to Ben’s world as his assistant and quickly proves that she’s not afraid of him. I loved Bella’s refusal to back down or compromise her work life for their personal life together. She brings Ben back to life in this loosely-based Beauty and the Beast retelling and makes the reader love her for her personality and stubbornness.
Overall, this was a quick and entertaining read, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.
The Brute Written by Tarrah Anders 4 out of 5 stars
I have read a couple books written by Tarrah Anders and really enjoyed them so I had high hopes for this book. I wasn’t disappointed and enjoyed The Brute from beginning to end. I liked that the story was mostly written in Ben’s perspective but the narration changed to Bella enough for the reader to get a completely full picture. Despite the rough, not so nice nature of Ben I had a soft spot for him and really enjoyed his character, it helps that we know how he came to be how he is. This modern day take of a beauty and beast tale really satisfied me, I felt that the characters and conflicts were realistic and could happen to everyday people. I appreciated the references to Beauty and the Beast as that has always been my favorite! The fact that the story wasn’t composed of outrageous, far fetched twists and turns helped bring a familiar fairytale like storyline to life in a more realistic tone. Without giving away anything, as expected Tarrah Anders brought romance, steam, excitement and even danger, in this fast paced read and I would certainly recommend this book.
The Brute by Tarrah Anders is a steamy romantic story that you can’t help but fall in love with it. Following the story of Benjamin and Isabella. Benjamin is a tough, cold man who by all accounts is not someone that you want to mess with. At work Benjamin is all about business, all about pushing is employees to the next level, until it comes to Isabella. Isabella gets under Benjamin’s skin right away. Isabella has a way about her that makes it easy to get to him, handle him, wrap him around her finger. Isabella has serious kahunas, easily going toe-to-toe with the hardheaded man at every turn and loves it each day. Benjamin and Isabella have an immediate connection, and it only heats up from the get go. Will these two have a happy ending? Just how hard is Benjamin willing to work to get to Isabella’s heart? Anders is an old favorite of mine, her writing style is one that just grabs you from the get go and her characters will drag you under from page one until the end. If you are looking for a great read, with just enough steam to keep you hot under the collar, than this is definitely one to pick up today! I can’t wait to see what else Anders brings to her readers in the future!
I absolutely loved this story! I have read a few books by this author and I love her creative and engaging writing style. I am still a fairy tale girl at heart so I am really loving these newer, darker, naughtier re-telling and this one was based on my favourite film of all! I loved Ben and Bella! They were just perfect. He was dark, she was light – I could read this story all over again just to read about them once more! I loved the chemistry between them both too. Did I want to hate Ben at the beginning – of course yes! He was arrogant, rude, and hot headed but also the perfect alpha male lead! Bella, was as I wanted, ready to tame that beast! She wasn’t going to let him get to her at all but she was so nice about it. I really liked her. As always I can’t wait for more to come from this author, I love reading her book, I love her characters and I love her writing!! I cannot recommend The Brute enough and it definitely deserves the 5 stars I give it!
The Brute is a stand-alone novel by Tarrah Anders. This is my fifth novel by this author.
Benjamin Adams is the CEO of his company and doesn’t care who is next assistant is. After going through five within just a few month period, he’s sure she isn’t going to make it very long. But when he is introduced to her, he hides his attraction with annoyance.
“I catch a glance at the heavenly sight of her. Rather than allow the strange, ancient feelings simmering in my body to be reflected in my countenance, I feign annoyance.”
Isabella is great female lead. She doesn’t let Ben walk over her and she stands up for herself.
I love anything this author writes and when I saw she had a new book I just had to get it.
This a quick read with great characters who had all the charts chemistry.
I hope there is another book soon. Maybe a sequel.
The Brute by Tarrah Anders is a fast paced office romance that doesn’t skimp on the sexiness. I couldn’t put this book down, I read it in one sitting.
Benjamin Adams has experienced his share of loss in his life. It’s shaped who he is and if you ask his employees, he’s cold and intimidating. He’s so standoffish, he can’t keep an assistant for more than a few weeks.
Isabella has no idea what she’s getting into accepting the assistant position for Benjamin Adams but she starts to realize he is slightly different with her than he is everyone else. She doesn’t want to fall for her boss, but that might be out of her control.
Will they be able to keep their personal and work lives separate or will Ben lose more than he’s willing to?
I absolutely loved this book. I was at the end before I knew it and wanted to read more!
The Brute by Tarrah Anders is an entertaining story about the redemption of one man. Benjamin Adams was always known as the nige guy. Everyone agreed how friendly he was. But the something happened. He inherited his father’s company and the nice charming man everyone once knew disappeared. Left in his place is a monster. Until she comes along. The one who could save him, help him become the person he wants was. However it is up to Benjamin to learn to set aside his anger and his need for revenge. And if he can’t? Then he may just lose it all.
I found this book highly entertaining and very easy to read. The characters were great - I found myself smiling at their interactions more than once. The story was well though through and well written. A very good read.
Benjamin is Isabella's boss. He's known as a bit of beast. He's been closed off and focused on his business for years now. Bella is his assistant and he finds himself experiencing a renewed interest in life outside of his closed off life because of her. He fights it, but eventually he has to know if he's the only one who feels something. Bella finds him intriguing and intensely attractive. The book plays out kind of along the Beauty & the Beast theme (and openly talked about by the characters). It is a slow to fast burn once the flame ignites. An enjoyable read. Romance, passion, a little drama, and a satisfying HEA. I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.