The Billionaire Beast by Jackie Ashenden Series: Billionaire Fairy Tales, #2
Published by Swerve Publication Date: March 7th 2017
Pages: 212
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Dark, tortured, and intimidating, these dominant billionaires will steal their innocent heroines' breath away. Overwhelmed by their desire to control their world, they push their heroines to explore their deepest desires. But even the most unworldly of heroines can unlock these billionaires' secrets.
Nero de Santis: Damaged. Bastard. Beast.Nero hasn’t left his house in ten years—he demands the world come to him, and the world is only too happy to bend to the strong-willed billionaire. Ruthless, cold, and selfish, Nero wants for nothing and takes care of no one but himself. His last handful of assistants have left his house in tears, but the prim redhead applying for the job looks up to the task. Nero has spent his life shut within the walls he built, with no care to have more than a window to the outside world. But the fiery passion he senses beneath his reserved assistant’s exterior makes him want to break down the barriers he lives behind, and unleash the beast within.
Phoebe Taylor: Uptight. Misunderstood. Engaged.
Phoebe needs the obscene amount of money that comes with being Nero’s personal assistant for one thing, and one thing only—to pay for the mounting hospital costs that her fiancee’s two-year coma continues to incur. She’s heard rumors that the de Santis beast is a force that cannot be tamed—but even she isn’t prepared to handle the smoldering intensity simmering beneath his hard shell of feral dominance. Nero is hiding something, something he is fighting with every step he takes. Yet he can’t help but stake his claim on this woman who has shaken up his life, and Phoebe can’t believe this animal of a man is the one person to ever look into her eyes and see her soul. Nero wants to keep her. He wants to devour her. And Phoebe just might let him.
Cocktails and Books received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.
Jackie Ashenden is a gifted storyteller and I enjoy everything she writes. So I was excited to read her second book in the Billionaire Fairy Tales series. Each of the books in this series is a standalone and this one has a Beauty and the Beast theme. I thoroughly enjoyed this touching, beautiful story with its heartfelt characters.
Nero de Santis is New York’s most reclusive billionaire. He has a reputation as a tyrant and is having a difficult time finding a personal assistant. Nero’s bad attitude scares off all his assistant, so he keeps increasing the pay, to try to attract new candidates.
Phoebe Taylor applies for the job. Yes, she has heard all the rumors about him, but the money is too good to turn down and she is willing to put up with just about anything to make the huge salary he is willing to pay. She tries not to let Nero’s surly attitude get under her skin, but it isn’t easy.
Nero has many layers and as the reader and Phoebe get to know and understand him, it is easier to like Nero and feel sorry for the things he is dealing with. Even though Nero is broody and has a lot of flaws, he also has many good points. With Phoebe he is a different man but his strong feeling for Phoebe scare him. Phoebe is patient and kind with Nero and doesn’t let his gruff exterior scare her. Nero and Phoebe are good for each other, they have lived an empty existence until they meet. This is a sweet and sexy story.
