If Loving Gideon is wrong, I don’t wanna be right…
Title: Bared to You
Author: Sylvia Day
Series: Crossfire #1
Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Our journey began in fire…
Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness—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…
“I knew he had a dark side; I’d learned long ago how to spot and avoid men who had dangerous shadows in their eyes. But the familiar alarm bells didn’t ring around Gideon ad they maybe should have.”
Bared to You by Sylvia Day is a book I simply cannot seem to get out of my head. I’ll admit my reason behind my curiosity for this book was the recommendation for fans of Fifty Shades of Grey, and anyone that knows me well will understand how deeply my passion for that series goes. Well yes this series is most definitely for fans of Fifty Shades of Grey, but not because of any similarities but because they both deal with those emotionally immature characters with a scarred past and charisma that well exceeds them both. I prefer my reads to be dark, gritty with plenty of emotionally angst and upheaval and lucky for me Sylvia Day gave me just that! From the moment I picked up Bared to You I became a hermit and locked myself in my home all day hiding from the world as I immersed myself into this colorful and tumultuous world starring Eva Tramell and Gideon Cross.
“Your objections. What’s it going to take to get you beneath me?”
“A miracle. I find your approach crude and offensive.” And a major turn on, but I was never going to admit to it.
Bared to You begins with Eva Tramell freshly relocated to NYC beginning a new career, in close proximity to her mother and her billionaire step father and her roommate and best friend Cary. Eva’s best friend Cary whom I adored also a victim of an equally damaged background as well lives an advantageous lifestyle ensuring this story will filled with loads of fun, plenty of drama and great friendship. Of course Eva meets Gideon Cross the day prior to her first day at work inside the Crossfire building without the knowledge that yes Crossfire is owned by Gideon Cross. She finds him über attractive and yet she manages to walk away even though this is how she described him.
“He wasn’t just beautiful; he was….enthralling. He was the kind of guy that made a woman want to rip his shirt open and watch the buttons scatter along with her inhibitions.”
However, it’s plainly obvious that Gideon Cross is not only Man Candy-Licious he’s also Charming, Captivating, Charismatic and a super successful Billionaire entrepreneur that’s used to having women fall at his feet. I’ll be honest throughout this entire amazing story, I wanted to fall at his feet in hopes that he would pick me too! I’m a bit obsessed with Gideon Cross SHOUTY capitals. LOL. However, Eva is much too confident, with her own charming attributes, Witt, and self respect to do such a repulsive move. She instantly bedazzled Gideon,and made her stand out to him like a diamond in the rough.
“Take a good look at me and tell me if you see a man that’s easily deterred?”
From then on she challenges him, makes him yearn to be something better than he already is; he gladly accepts that challenge and seeks impress her, protect her, and possess her, mentally, physically and emotionally.
“My gaze was locked to his, unable to look away, riveted by the fierce masculine triumph that flared in his eyes. In that moment he owned me. I’d do anything he wanted. And he knew it.”
Gideon Cross is the ultimate Alpha male that I cant stop thinking about. He’s intoxicating, successful, damaged and vulnerable and we see all his sides. The good, the bad, and the ugly and I loved it all. Sylvia Day has a way with words that made her characters relatable, likable, fascinating and oh so lovable. Although Gideon oozes sex appeal, charm and arrogance I love when he opens himself up emotionally to Eva, it’s ugly, it’s dark, quite frankly these two are a hot mess, triple the hot and triple the mess!!!! He knows what he wants and he goes after it with full tenacity including Eva. He has a troubled dark past that is slowly but not fully unravelled for us readers and I adored hearing just how emotionally ruined he is yet he manages to keep it all pulled together on the outside looking as successfully and dapper as ever.
“The way he moved, with animal grace and arrogant economy, was a major turn-on. I couldn’t imagine him not fucking well and being aggressive about it, taking what he wanted in a way that made a woman wild to give it to him.”
Eva has just as dark of a past and that to me made this story believable, and instantly made me root for Gideon and Eva. What I enjoyed about Eva was that she wasn’t a virgin; she’s a woman who doesn’t mind losing her inhibitions with a man, and knows her way around a bedroom as well as a charity event. She’s intelligent, successful in her own right, confident and assertive.She is the daughter of a police detective but also a step daughter to a successful Billionaire entrepreneur so Gideon Cross had to work harder to get her attention because designer labels and red bottom soled shoes are not going to impress a woman that can purchase her own pair.
“Go spend time with a woman that salivates at your feet and makes you feel like a god. Fuck her until neither of you can walk. When you see me on Monday you’ll be totally over it and your life will return to its usual-obsessive compulsive order.”
The sex scenes between these two are scorchingly hot, and full of passion and eroticism. Anyone that loves me knows I prefer a good romance with sizzling sex, but these were incredible. Some characters have chemistry and then there are those like Eva and Gideon who take it to a whole entire new level. If you’re looking for a dark read with two irresistible fucked up emotionally damaged characters with spellbinding moments, HOT sex, and a plot you can’t help but be fascinated with then Bared to You will be your new favorite read. Prepare yourself for a sassy female protagonist and an alpha male you can’t help but fall in love with. Deeper in You is to be released in October 2012 and that day cannot come any sooner.
“I’d bared my emotions in the limo and I still felt horribly vulnerable, a state I’d spent countless therapy hours learning to avoid. I wanted nothing more than to be home and hidden, freed from the pressure of acting like I was completely pulled together when I was anything but.”
I’m ashamed to say that I’ve been cheating on Christian Grey with Gideon Cross and I’ve felt guilty about it because up until now I had no idea there would be another member of the Billionaire Boys Club capable of making me obsess about with my book buddies and gushing about ways to stalk him like I did and still do with Christian Grey. However after long thoughts I hope he forgives me because I plan on keeping both men.
“I sucked on his tongue, having learned how much he liked it, having learned how much I liked it, how much it made me want to suck him elsewhere with the same eagerness.”
ARC provided for review by Netgalley For Penguin
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I’m so glad you loved it!
I read it last week and had a similar reaction – Gideon and Eva are such complex characters with multiple layers and I just can’t wait for the sequel when some more of their past will be revealed. 
I love it because they kind of are dark and twisted but that makes them much more real. 
Anyway, great review!
Aleksandra @ Divine Secrets of a Little Bookworm
Hi Aleksandra
Thank you! I’m so happy that you also love Gideon & Eva’s story too!!;) the darker and more twisted it is the more I love it!!!;)
I’m still swooning over Gideon Cross! I was just not thrilled with the ending. Not that it’s a bad ending – just abrupt.
I cannot wait until book @ is released!! Great review!
XOXO
I had so many questions about Gideon that needed to be answered too. The ending was a little disappointing but the book was still a double high five and a fist pump in the air 5 stars. October needs to get here NOW.
Cimmaron!!!
5 stars SHOUTY capitals!! I agree with you and Jamie the ending was abrupt. Remember you and I discussing those valid points in the emails? Well I’m still pondering those as well.
Hope we get some answers in the next book! My birthday is in October so that book will be my birthday surprise! LOL <3
Hey Jamie
I also cannot wait for it to be released!!
I agree the ending was a bit ubrupt and I’m still wondering what Gideon went back to the Eva’s apartment to get??
Thank you!! XOXO
I don’t think he went back in to get anything… I think he went in to say or do something to Cary… that was my thought when it ended…
You know Melissa that’s a very observant observation, and I’m actually inclined to believe you are spot on in your theory!! I bet he went to threaten Cary for Eva’s safety in the future…gosh I just LOVE Gideon SHOUTY capitals!! Lol. Thanks for sharing!!
To be honest, I fell so in love with the characters of Fifty Shades that I didn’t think I would like any other characters as much. I do love Eva and Gideon too though. I am withholding final judgement as to each series as a whole until I have read all three of this one obviously, but I think Sylvia Day did a great job of setting her characters apart and making them different enough from the 50 Shades characters. I have NEVER read erotic fiction before 50 Shades. I was so enthralled with that series I read all three in four days (I did little else those days! lol). I just read this book in two days and cannot wait until October!
Yes Melissa, I’m obsessed with Christian Grey too!! Between my friends we practically speak in 50-isms LOL!! Everything is like Laters, baby!! Lmao!! I love Christian Grey!! I loved Gideon too…..So basically when I talk about one, I end up gushing about the other…lol. I reveled the entire time reading both series. I read 50 trilogy in a few days as well. I wrote my Fifty Shades of Grey review and have never written the reviews for the 2nd and third book because it took me a good week to get over the slump of not reading FSOG lol, I knew if I wrote the otger2 reviews I would get sucked back into that dark and captivating world or Christian and Ana lol. I can’t wait for Deeper in You as well. I heard that Penguin wants Sylvia Day to get all three books released by December or January…so that’s exciting!!!:)
I just added this to my “to be read” on Good Reads. Looks like an awesome read! Congrats to Ms. Day for her success and talent
Hi Ashley!!!
I really hope you love it when you read it!!
Please let me know how you like it when you read it!!;)
Gideon had me swooning in this book and is way hotter than Christian from 50 Shades…
Loved the complexity of this book, and can’t wait for more of this story.
Hi Trish
Oh boy I love Gideon Cross, but I love Christian Grey too!! I’ll take both Trish…lol!! I’m glad you loved this book too, not surprising since you and I love similar PNR and erotica books!!:) <3
Wow another great review for this. I actually got this a few days ago and haven’t had time to read it yet. Don’t kill me or anything, but I’m kind of avoiding 50 shades of gray, but I definitely want to give this a try. Is that weird?
Ning @ Reading by Kindle Fire
Hi Ning!!;)
I’m not going to kill you but I’m very curious as to why you are avoiding Fifty Shades of Grey?? Lol. It’s most definitely not weird but I’m curious because this book was recommended for FSOG lovers, so that’s why I first picked it up, so what sparked your interest?? LOL. Thanks
<3
I can’t wait for the next one!! And I am also curious as to what Gideon forgot.!!!
Me too!!!! I’m wondering if he went after Carry!
It seems like all of our Terrible Girls are all reading this one right after another. I’m reading it now and I’M LOVING IT!
I hadn’t had much time to read earlier this week, but I got some reading done today and I’m just falling in love with every page! I <3 Gideon!!!
Mariya – I’m so happy you are loving Gideon! He’s my Top Billionaire Boyfriend right now. He’s knocked Christian Grey off that pillar. Just thinking about this book makes me so excited that I want to read it again.
I am so madly in love with Gideon that I don’t want this book to end b/c I know the second book isn’t out yet. LOL
But thank god it is out in October, I couldn’t make it if I had to wait a full year.
Well I’m not willing to share Gideon with you Mariya! LOL. All 3 books are supposed to be released by the end of 2012 btw.
YES!!!! I can’t wait! I NEED the next book now! Gideon is MINE~! You can have Christian! Hehehehe! XP
You know I love my Billonaire Boyfriends too!!! I want both though. Christian & Gideon
We totally need to find more billionaire boyfriends! Like ASAP! I can’t get enough!
Yes!! Monster!!! We need lots of Billionare BF’s or at least one really good one.;)
So in love with this book!!! I cannot wait for October!!! Two things I couldn’t help but wonder….1. What did Gideon mean when he was talking to his mother about Cary? 2. I couldn’t help but wonder if Corinne had once worn a collar?? I have to say as much as I love Christian and Ana– I LOVE (yes shouty caps) Eva and Gideon much much more!!!!
Hi Eliel,
Would you mind refreshing my memory as to what happened with Gideon talking to his mother about Cary?? I’m drawing a blank lol…sorry!!
Loved Bared To You.
2nd LOL why do you think Corinne wore a collar?? Haha. I’m not a Corrine fan at all. I do not like her…I LOVE Christian & Ana SHOUTY capitals too…but I do LOVE Gideon & Eva a tiny bit more SHOUTY capitals!! Lol
Okay, you got me hooked up now and I’ll have to read it. I’m looking forward to it. I hope I get to obsess over it for a while. Great review!
Hello again Martina hehe
You should totally read this book, and hopefully you will obsess over it too like I did!!;) Thank you!:) Please let me know how you like it, I’ll watch your blog for your review to appear
Oh My God, I can’t believe I let myself read another book like Beautiful Disaster and the Fifty Shades trilogy. They are so intense and there are so many feelings flying around and I get sucked in and there’s no escape from it. It’s unbelievable… I read it in a day, and I guess that’s my mistake because there were to many raw emotions for one day… I’m going to be re-reading this for days.. Thanks for providing my new obsession. (I’m not sure I’m happy with you about it right now because book two wont be here for a while, but I absolutely loved this!!! There’s no arguing that!). I’ll have to make some changes to post the review sooner than next month but I have to gather my brains to actually settle down and write it first.
PS: Sorry for rambling on like that but I had to let it all out somewhere and since you pointed the book out to me… It was truly amazing!
Hi Martina!
I’m so excited that you loved Bared To You!!! SHOUTY capitals!!! Lol!!! I’m obsessed with all of these emotionally screwed up characters and their romances!!! I can’t wait for the next book either!!!
Sooooooo sorry for adding to your obsession but I’m actually glad I did because I knew you would absolutely fall in love with Gideon & Eva!! These angsty books suck me in and they won’t let me go either! I’ve read all these books several times already and I plan to re-read again soon as well!!
Feel free to “ramble” to me on my blog anytime!!! I enjoy anyone that shares their enthusiasm for the same books I LOVE and OBSESS over!!!
Happy Saturday!
I already love and obsess over Gideon and Eva. It was like every rational part of my brain shut off when I started reading it and I was glued to it.
Do you have any more suggestions. I’m starting to love those angsty books more and more. I’d appreciate the book suggestions because I’m fairly new to the genre and haven’t had the chance to explore yet.
I don’t know how I’m going to wait for October…
Have a great Sunday!
Hi Miss Vain,
I just finished reading the book, and I love it! just as much as i loved my Fifty!
any good books to recommend after reading?
Hi Ms. Martina,
Can you send me a copy of beautiful disaster pretty please?
TIA
I have read Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture. both good reads as well.
Hi Ms. Mar
Hey,
I can’t send it you you but you could request it from NetGalley!
Here’s the link.
http://netgalley.com/index.php?module=catalog&page=1&genre=&sdir=2&sfld=1&type=0&txt=beautiful+disaster
i am so in love with Gideon Cross, i can’t stop thinking about the man. ahh i love your review, i totally agree with every word you said. i love that Eva is so confident and in control, i can’t wait for the second book to come out.
I can’t wait to get my book signed when she comes to the OC in two weeks!
I’m in love with Gideon too!;) Thank you!:)) Hold up,girlie, she’s coming to the OC in two weeks??!! Whaaaat! LOL. I didn’t know that, I must look it up since I’m in Cali too! hope you get your book signed by her, that’s awesome!!:) I love that Eva is such a confident woman that knows what she wants in public and in private! Love her! Love him! Love this book!;) Thanks for sharing your thoughts Jennifer
Yes, she will be at anahemi convention center Wednesday July 25 th from 5-8. It’s free to get it, you just have to pay for the book…
Here is the info she has it on her Facebook.
http://www.rwa.org/cs/literacy_autographing
Oh wow Jennifer that is awesome news! I’m going to have to see if I can go, I’m about 4 hours from Anaheim, and I would love to meet her!! Thanks for the link, I’m going to check it out!;) You’re awesome, thank you so much for the information!;)
Great review!!! I just finished reading Bared to you. I love this book and can not wait until October!!!
Hi Letty!;)
Thank you, and appreciate you sharing your thoughts and visiting me.;) I also cannot wait until October!!! I want more Gideon & Eva now!!!
Loved this book. Haver read it twice and let a friend borrow and she has it on her nook and is going to buy the book too. Cant wait for the next book.
Do you know anywhere I can get a detailed recap of the book? About to read reflected in you and can’t remember what happened in the first one. I don’t have the book to do a quick re-read.
Well my best suggestion would be to either read review spoiler tags on Goodreads, or you can ask me here for some specifics and maybe I can help to bring your memory back?