Review: Beautifully Used by Susan Griscom

First of all, I loved the new cover. I believe it’s beautiful and sexy. I loved it so much that I would have read it on that premise alone. The cover of a book is the first thing that grabs my attention when deciding if I should read a particular novel.

BEAUTIFULLY USED is book 2 of the Beaumont Brothers series and it can be read as a stand-alone. This installment tells the story of Brodie Beaumont and Gabrielle Demeres. I first met them when I read Beautifully Wounded. I was intrigued by Brodie and was eager to learn more about him. Brodie can be classified as a man-whore. He changed women in the same way one would change their underwear. He never slept with the same woman twice. When the reason behind his actions was revealed, I could not help but empathize with him. I did not condone his actions but based on the circumstances, I understood why he behaved the way he did. I knew it must have been difficult carrying around all the guilt. The fact that he blamed himself spoke volumes. He closed off his heart to the possibility of love and avoided any form of commitment. However, the appearance of Gabrielle in his life has him rethinking his lifestyle. Will she be able to renew his faith in love and help him to turn away from his philandering ways?

Gabrielle first came to Turtle Lake when she discovered that her best friend Lena, having escaped an abusive relationship, was now residing there. She never expected to meet someone as interesting as Brodie. However, their first encounter did not go so well. However, as fate would have it, their paths crossed again when Gabrielle returned to attend Lena’s wedding. Now she was forced to spend time with him. The more time she spends with him, she came to realise there was more to Brodie than meets the eye. However, events from her past were preventing her from seizing a chance at love. Will Brodie be able to break down the barriers she had built?

When you are able to connect with the characters in a story to the point you become invested in everything they do, then you know you have hit the jackpot. For me, this what happened with Brodie and Gabrielle. I wanted to see them move past the pain, hurt and betrayals of their past so you can imagine how thrilled I was when they achieved that and more.

 Their story of love was heartwarming. It was evident that they were attracted to each other, but based on their first encounter, each harboured the belief that the other did not like them. However, the more time they spent together they began to see things in a different light. The romance developed slowly which made it believable. The theme is similar to that of book one. The focus of the story was on the effect of abuse and the healing process.

 I found the story engaging. After reading the first installment I was primed for book two and I was not disappointed. The element of mystery and suspense that was included helped to increase the intensity of the story. I enjoyed every aspect of this story and now I am eager to read the next book in the series.