Review: Beautiful Beginning by Christina Lauren

Beautiful Beginning (Beautiful Bastard #3.5) 
By Christina Lauren
Expected Release Date: November 19, 2013
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by: Jenn and Nahomi
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / IndieBound

*This ARC was provided by the publisher but it did not influence this review in any way.*

Jenn's rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars
Nahomi's rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars
Our Overall rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars 

Synopsis:
One beautiful bastard of a groom. The most beautiful bitch of a bride. A panty-ripping office hook-up turned true love everlasting.

Wedding bells can't chime soon enough for Chloe Mills and Bennett Ryan. Chloe, exasperated and stressed by all the last-minute to-dos, is on the verge of saying "I do" to eloping. For his part, Bennett's so worried about being distracted by Chloe's body that he makes a no-sex-until-the-wedding-night rule that only seems to be making things worse by continually backfiring on him. As their crazy families descend for the big day- only a few of them actually trying to be helpful- the fiery lovers are about to test whether the couple that argues together can keep it together long enough to exchange rings, and not just heated words.

Jenn:

     I think Beautiful Beginning has to be the best of all the novellas. It wrapped up all the loose end very nicely and left you feeling satisfied. Christina Lauren managed to end a wonderful series with all the happy feels and all my favorite characters happy.

Beautiful Beginning starts off with a very stressed out bride and a very focused groom. Chloe and Bennett are down to the wire with wedding preparations and Chloe is about ready to head off to Las Vegas. Bennett is more focused on keeping his bride sane but also on how to make their wedding night special. So he decides that weren't going to have sex until the wedding night. Which is 5 days away and Chloe, being who she is, decides she needs to fight Bennett on that and what ensues if a test of restraint for Bennett.

We get a glimpse of how life is working out for our beloved characters, Max and Sara and Will and Hanna. There were some surprising twists and lots of funny, laugh out loud moments. Beautiful Beginning left me feeling nostalgic but really happy where these characters I’ve come to love are in their life. I can easily picture them living their happily ever after.

“Straightening up, I pushed off the wall and patted his cheek. “I am excited. I like seeing that the only thing that will change after this week is that Bennett will a ring on his finger and my last name after his first name. I like knowing that you guys will continue to escalate this big testicle war. You and Hanna will continue to be adorable and giddy, Max and Sara will continue to be disgustingly in love. Bennett will continue to alternately rock my world and make me insane. It’s life as it should be.” - Chloe pg 122-123

Just like Chloe, I can picture them doing just that.

Nahomi:

      I completely agree with what Jenn said above, I really enjoyed Beautiful Beginnings. For me it was the perfect ending to a wonderful series. Christina Lauren had me laughing out loud for the majority of the novella. And when I wasn't busy laughing I was busy swooning over Bennett, Max and Will. I really enjoyed how realistic Christina Lauren made the novella.

True to the series the sexy scenes were really HOTT but I feel that in this novella it wasn't so much the focus of the entire story, which is one of my many favorite things about this novella. I feel very at peace with the ending and where everyone ended up. A job well done by Christina Lauren, now I am left anxiously awaiting their next book.