Bared to You by Sylvia Day

Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness…

He was beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I’d never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily…

Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other’s most private wounds…and desires.The bonds of his love transformed me, even as i prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart...

You know that feeling you get when you’re reading a book and it is so good you don’t want to put it down but you also don’t want it to end? That was me the entire time that “Bared to You” was in my hands. I started the book right before bed thinking “three chapters and then lights out”. I never expected to look at the clock and see that 6 hours had gone by and the sun was coming up when I finished. I was so caught up in my emotions of the book ending that I actually just sat in my bed staring at nothing for another half hour before I finally turned out the light and attempted to sleep. To some this may sound extremely disturbing but I know there are others like me who have done this too, and for that I will not be ashamed.

I requested this book form the library with a lot of doubt of how good it would really be. I can only bare so many reviews that compare “Bared to You” to “Fifty Shades of Grey” before I’m completely turned off. Nothing hurts a book more in my eyes than comparing it to another book, especially a really successful one. It’s like jumping up and down and screaming in my face “hey you liked this book, I’m sort of like that! Try me, TRY ME!”, and that is not how you get my attention. But I wanted to see what all of the hoopla was about so I patiently waited out the two month long waiting list from my local library, and promptly picked it up when it was ready for me. I actually had the book for a few days before I even thought about reading it, I just didn’t think I would be impressed to be honest with you.

I don’t apologize often and so far I have apologized TWICE now for being a naive and judgmental crazy lady. “Bared to You” was so amazing I am actually going back and changing my ratings for the “Fifty Trilogy” because I now know what a five star book should be. It was well written, it had a better story line, and even though 90% of all the reviews of it compare it to “Fifty” it is in a whole different category. I was in complete and utter shock over how many emotions I felt during and after reading this book.

“Bared to You” introduces us to an amazing and well developed group of characters in one of the coolest cities in the world, New York. While I’ve never wanted to really visit New York, let alone live there, the book made it that cool wonderland that so many people see when they envision it. Our main characters Ava, Gideon and Cary are a crazy mix up of personalities. You have Ava who is headstrong, hardworking, and a bit damaged. Cary, who is self-destructive towards his good relationships, loyal and protective of Ava, and has a past that is black and blue all over. Then you have Mr. Gideon Cross. Über successful, ridiculously sexy, driven, a tad arrogant at first and just as damaged as Ava and Cary put together. I loved the interactions between the characters, even when it was a bit dramatic or annoying, just because their relationships were so deep to me. Ava and Cary weren’t just best friends because they went to therapy, there was way more to their relationship than that. Gideon and Ava were another dynamic duo that I couldn’t help but enjoy. Even though their relationship was REALLY hot and heavy they are at least trying to get to know each other outside of all the amazing sex. This was something I really wasn’t expecting. You read stories all the time were two people magically fall in love with each other and everything is rainbows and unicorn farts; until the skeletons come dancing out the closet. Its like fictional characters forget that a relationship is a partnership and you have to be honest for it to work. Which is why I really liked how Ava was honest not just with herself and Cary but with Gideon too. She knew she could be a jealous bitch and she told Gideon that flat out, and it made me so happy to see two adults be honest with each other.  In the end it was a very hot, extremely refreshing and amazingly great read and I can’t wait to see what is next.

Move over Mr. Grey, and come-hiter Mr. Cross.