Bared to You (Crossfire) Hardcover – January 28, 2014

First, all I kept wondering was whether this was the chicken or the egg in regards to Fifty Shades of Gray...because it is a near exact storyline, only a shade less R rated. Essentially the 51st shade. It seems Gray came first by a year btw. How has no one else commented on this!?Same pathetic, weak, freshly graduated female from a state university with an entry-level job is apparently so enthralling & stimulating that an Ivy League educated, successful multimillionaire (who previously only valued success and professional drive) falls instantly in love. They then build their relationship predominantly on crazed storybook sex, disregarding the development of a lasting connection on anything other than physical need and fractured psychological similes. In addition, there is a complete disregard in her lack of depth as a human. She is boring & needy with no success of her own, or personal bearing. His sudden shift in his value system to valuing something weak and grossly unimportant on the surface isn't believable.Overlooking the pull of the detailed sex interactions, this remains nothing more than another book marginalizing woman to a submissive reciprocant whose value lies only in her sexuality in a backdrop of a domineering sexual male force who, in contrast, also holds professional and monetary power and depth. Insert eye-roll and barf.

I was expecting this to be the pinnacle of good romance writing from all of the positive reviews. I never read fifty shades of gray, so I can't tell you how similar these are. However, Cross was such a weird character. He was weirdly obsessed with our heroine. He stalked her, bullied her, kissed her without permission, forced himself on her multiple times. How is this adult behavior?Then there's Eva. She is just as immature. They deserve each other, honestly. She has been seeing a therapist for who knows how long and yet she hasn't learned that it's important to open up to your sexual partner? Right. She must actually be 14 years old. There was one particular scene where she just ups and walks away after sex. She even thinks in her head that maaaybe she should pause and talk to him about why she was upset. But no, rational thoughts do not exist here.I was exhausted halfway through this story and couldn't continue. I do not understand the magic behind this story. I've read much better alpha male/dominant/bdsm books than this one. Oh, and they actually have plots outside of sex as well. Win win.

This is the first time reading Sylvia Day and I must say it will not be my last.This is not a (50 Shades of Grey) but much, much more! You must read all 5 books.I found myself crying, laughing, sad, mad, and even I grabbed my own wrist from time to time. I fell into this story. I lived these characters from the start. Gideon is an Alfa-male that every man wants to be and Eva is the woman I wish I could be. How we live our lives from day to day in this society is taxing to say the least. To grab a book and sink into it (hard) is a release. I had mixed emotions at first but as I read each book it made me want more. Is that not what you want an author to do? Well she fulfilled that in this series. I never wanted it to end and when it did I felt drained. Drained to the core. She stripped away my day to day stress and replaced it with love, lust, honor and most of all courage. I felt alive again. I felt MY soul restored. I never write reviews but I do read them before I buy a book. So if you read mine remember one word and one word only CROSSFIRE! Read all the books to understand!

This is a book series that I’m a bit indifferent to. I like the author’s writing style (meaning her descriptive talent, attention to setting a scene, the way in which she references a character’s memories and actions, etc) but I just didn’t enjoy the content of her writing.Firstly... this is erotic fiction. It isn’t romance. The romance (at least in the first book of the series) seems like a bit of an after-thought. Secondly, and for me this is my biggest complaint about the book, I haaaaaate the main character / heroine. Ugh. She. Is. Awful.She is weak & pathetic, childish, and her actions are so ridiculous it’s like her emotional maturity stopped progressing @ age 15. I’m not even going to touch the abuse she suffered as a child or how it affects her personality and insecurities as an adult.I don’t know enough about psychology; perhaps that abuse she suffered stunted her mental maturity and this personality type could be typical of abuse victims 🤷‍♀️.Actually, sadly, I’ve just realized she’s a totally believable character. I’ve met women like her in real life; yeah, I can’t stand them IRL, either. I may continue with the series 🤷🏼‍♀️Like I said, I’m a bit indifferent to it. I can take it or leave it. I don’t know if I want to invest the amount of $ for the full series when I’m just kind of, “meh” over the first book.*oh, and as for those reviews comparing this book to 50 shades... I read the first 50 Shades book... I didn’t continue with that series. This storyline isn’t a knock-off of 50, that theme is an entire genre in romance. Woman meets powerful billionaire, success-driven billionaire inexplicably abandons his values for an unimpressive female, hot sex ensues, maybe a little power play, some miscommunication/actions that a simple discussion would clear up but the characters won’t use their words, you know, like adults 🤷🏼‍♀️.Some big “I almost lost you moment” , some more sex, and wrap it up with a HEA. Let’s not go claiming E.L.James invented that recipe and it had never been done before 😂

It is ok. I just feel I have read it before, about 20 times. In fact I have it all so confused in my head now with other similar stories that I don't know if I can trust myself to review it fairly.Why to they lovers always have to be so perfectly beautiful? Why does the male have to be so very rich and possesive? Why does the female have to have such a low opinion of herself?It seems very cold and formulaic.There were things that I liked about this book, complex family relationships and a backstory with more to be uncovered. I don't think that it was enough to lure me into reading the next.

...... Is one of my all time favs!I bought this book (and the rest of the series) almost 2 years ago and have read it several times since and it never gets old!The start of Gideon & Eva's story....Gideon is a young hot sexy mysterious billionaire hotshot who is instantly taken by Eva, a blonde smart sensuous edgy fun woman (although when he first meets her, she's crouched on the floor and ends up on her backside so this is an insta-love story!)Anyways, Eva has had an abusive past and is very insecure yet dependant and she knows there's more lurking beneath the surface of Gideon.Can the two of them overcome their pasts? Can they open up to each other? Will jealousy ruin things? Will Cary (Eva's best friend) ever stop punishing himself?Oh the questions are endless, the drama is on going and the passion is never ending!I loved it and can't wait to read the next book - again!!

Not the first time I've read this series but I keep coming back because nothing I read ever gives me the feels like this one! I just love Gideon and Eva, not to give too much away because i already know what happens but they make the best couple! Cary shows in such unique way in this first book, he's snappy and though he's there for Eva he seeks a lot more attention for himself. very very well written Sylvia xxxx

There's an obvious comparison between this and Fifty Shades of Grey. On the plus side, the writing style was so much better. No inner goddesses and no bad grammar. On the minus side, the story line wasn't quite as exciting.This book is basically sex with a little bit of story thrown in. There are hints at more to be told about Gideon's family circumstances and background, which will probably be followed up in the sequels. However, this story didn't quite make me bothered enough to want to read them.The other thing which put me off was that I didn't really like the character of Eva. I got a little impatient with Anastasia in FSoG because she had a hissy fit and took off each time Christian did the slightest thing wrong. But to a certain extent I could sympathise. I'd be a little freaked out by his control and his room of pain too. But with Eva, the central character in this novel, she really didn't have much to complain about, yet as with Anastasia in FSoG, she would throw a strop and run off at the slightest provocation. In the end I wished he'd just ditch her because she deserved it.

I didn’t think there could be anything worse than 50 shades of grey. Then I read Crossfire.Eva Tramell is by far the most detestable character I have ever read in a romance novel, so far. She has no saving grace.