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Bared to You

Book 1 in the series:Crossfire

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Bared to You by Sylvia Day follows the intense and tumultuous relationship between Eva and Gideon, both haunted by their traumatic pasts. The story delves into their passionate love affair, filled with drama, dysfunction, and dark secrets. The writing style is described as sexually charged, exploring themes of love, trust, and overcoming past traumas. The plot unfolds with conflicts and intense emotions as the characters navigate their complex relationship.

Characters:

The characters are complex, with Eva being a strong, independent woman and Gideon a wealthy, troubled man; both struggle with past traumas that affect their relationship.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is characterized by evocative and engaging writing, with witty dialogue that enhances the emotional depth of the characters' experiences.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features two deeply flawed characters who must confront their past traumas while engaging in a passionate and often tumultuous relationship, drawing parallels to popular narratives like 'Fifty Shades of Grey'.

Setting:

The contemporary setting in New York City contributes to the characters' affluent lifestyle and the drama of their relationship.

Pacing:

Pacing is steady with a focus on character development and eroticism, although some find the cyclical nature of conflicts exhausting.
I wasn’t surprised by my roommate’s emphatic pronouncement. Cary Taylor found excuses to celebrate, no matter how small and inconsequential. I’d always considered it part of his charm. “I’m sure drink...

Notes:

Bared to You is the first book in the Crossfire series by Sylvia Day.
The story focuses on Eva Trammell and Gideon Cross, both dealing with traumatic pasts.
Eva moves to New York City to pursue her career in advertising, aided by her wealthy stepfather's connections.
Gideon Cross is portrayed as a billionaire businessman, characterized by his intense attraction to Eva.
Both characters experience immediate and powerful chemistry upon meeting, described as instant and sizzling lust.
The narrative explores themes of jealousy and struggles with emotional intimacy.
Unlike many heroines in romance novels, Eva is depicted as sexually experienced and assertive in her relationships.
The writing is noted to be more polished compared to Fifty Shades of Grey, with sharper character development.
The book has been criticized for its formulaic relationship dynamics, with characters running away from issues and reconciling through sex.
Bared to You heavily draws on elements from the romance genre tropes, including the 'damaged hero' and the 'independent heroine'.
The characters engage in frequent, explicit sexual encounters that often replace emotional communication.
Cary, Eva's gay best friend, also plays a significant role in the story, adding depth to the relationship dynamics.
The book leaves several plot points unresolved, leading into sequels as part of a larger series.
Readers have praised the book for its engaging writing and character depth despite its flaws.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of sexual abuse, emotional trauma, and intense relationship dynamics.

Has Romance?

The romance is central to the plot, characterized by intense emotions and sexual tension.

From The Publisher:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sylvia Day comes the first novel in the Crossfire series-a provocative masterstroke of abandon and obsession that redefined the meaning of desire, and became a global phenomenon.

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…

Ratings (101)

Incredible (24)
Loved It (32)
Liked It (20)
It Was OK (16)
Did Not Like (5)
Hated It (4)

Reader Stats (160):

Read It (110)
Want To Read (39)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (10)

2 comment(s)

Hated It
4 weeks

I'm not entirely sure why I subjected myself to this. I already tortured myself with the 50 Shares of Grey series. I knew exactly what I was getting into.

On the plus side, this book was way better written 50 Shades (although that bar is REALLY low.) And the main lady character was stronger and sassier than milk-toast Anastasia.

On the negative side, the sex scenes were way boring. Non-stop erections combined with the repeated use of the word "semen. (How hot - maybe I should read the "How Babies Are Made" section of the encycolpedia! Plus there were lots of sexy references to "my sex" and "my cleft." I can honestly say I've never referred to my ladyparts as a "cleft" and if anyone did, I would punch them in the face.

I also found the "romance" a little unlikely. You run into a guy in the lobby of a building the day you start a new job. You drop your work ID - he hands it to you. The next day he asks your boss to bid on advertising campaign. You happen to attend the meeting where the guy corners you and tells you he wants to "F" you. I'm swooning already - that's my dream!

I found myself skipping over the sex to get to the plot. And that made me sad because the plot wasn't all that exciting.

And the book ended with an ellipses, which peeved me to no end because now I have to read the next book to see what happens. What type of trilogy installment ends with an ellipses? We know there's another book coming. End with a proper sentence!

 
3 months

I just couldn't get into this and gave up around the halfway point. Probably better than 50 Shades, but not what I was looking for. I might go back to it at some point.

 

About the Author:

Sylvia Day is the #1 New York Times and #1 international bestselling author of over 20 award-winning novels sold in more than 42 countries. She is a #1 bestselling author in 28 countries, with over 18 million copies sold. Her…

 
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