The Beast in Him
Written by Shelly Laurenston
Narrated by Charlotte Kane
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
The sexy, polished CEO who hires Smitty's security firm might be a million miles from the lovable geek he knew, but her kiss, her touch, is every bit as hot as he imagined. Jess was never the kind to ask for help, and she doesn't want it now, not even with someone targeting her Pack. But Smitty's not going to turn tail and run. Not before proving that their sheet-scorching animal lust is only the start of something even wilder.
Shelly Laurenston
Shelly Laurenston is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Pride, Call of Crows, and The Honey Badger Chronicles, as well as winner of the RT Book Reviews Readers' Choice Award for her 2016 novel, The Undoing. When she’s not writing about sexy wolf, honey badger, lion, and other fang-filled predators, she's writing about sexy dragons as G.A. Aiken, the acclaimed and bestselling author of the Dragon Kin series. Originally from Long Island, she now lives on the West Coast and spends most of her time writing and making sure her rescued pit bull doesn’t love everyone into a coma. Please visit her online at www.ShellyLaurenston.com.
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Reviews for The Beast in Him
62 ratings13 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I jumped into number two of this series because the plot caught my eye. I really love the spurned heroine thing. He rejected her when she was a shy, awkward, insecure young thing and it broke her heart. Now they're both grown and he's into her. The earlier rejection was A Misunderstanding. Self-doubt and angst ensue. I like this line, but the book did seem to drag on. And, don't get me wrong, I love sex in my books (most of the reason I read romance) but this book could have used a bit more internal dialog around the angst and less leaps into bed. Wow, I can't believe I just said that. Big change from my first foray into romance, where I just wanted to read sex scenes and the buildup would bore me. Anyhow, I'll continue to make my way through this author's work but I think a lot of the novelty has worn off.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I swear I hated the main characters in this book. Both of them just irked my nerves. Why couldn't this be as cute as the first book? And why is this book in the "Pride" series when both main characters live in Packs?
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Check out my other listens at Eargasms Audiobook Reviews
I do not know if I mentioned it in the last book's review, but I freakin love this series!!! It has all my favorite elements snarky sassy gals, yummy alpha men, a fantastic story and oodles of smexy action!!!! Oh Hell yes, give me, give, me give me!!
The second book does not disappoint and is even better than the first!! Here we have yummy playboy wolf Bobby Ray who meets his match in sassy Jess!! They are so very combustible!! Hot, heavy and rough is what they like, funny me too! I can just see them fighting to make up!! This is a couple with passion!
The story is great, if not a touch predictable, and you meet some more supporting cast. I love all the characters in these books, you see old favorites and get a few new friends! The dynamic between them all is fabulous, you feel like you are visiting with friends when you read. I laughed out loud more than once and have tons of favorite moments.
I adore the mixed narrative, switching POV between the main characters is key to knowing them better. You also get a few supporting cast POV mixed in to keep things really interesting.
Charlotte Kane is the narrator for the series and she is fabulous! She's perfect for these books, she brings in the sense of fun and energy to the reads. Great characterizations, everybody has a distinct voice. She is a rather quick reader, something I enjoy but others might be put off by.
I can not wait to jump straight into the next book. Please let it be Sissy Mae! Yep, I have a new addiction, happily there are several books out already so it will be at least a week before I am jonesing for the newest release in the series. I am not even going to look until I finish devouring everything that is already out! - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fun paranormal story full of rough tongue-in-cheek humor but the plot was a bit slow to develop and my rating is 3.5* I like it when the hero pursues but sometimes wondered why she fought is so much. CEO wild-dog woman Jessie Ann encounters wolf-man Bobby Ray, her childhood crush.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This review was updated on A Weebish Book Blog as part of my TBT Review feature.When I pick up a Pride novel, I know I’ll enjoy every minute I spend with Laurenston’s furry characters. THE BEAST IN HIM tells the story of Bobbie Ray and “the one that got away”, Jessica Ward. While I wouldn’t consider their story my favorite of the series, it features some of my favorite characters—the wild dogs! The wild dogs are some of the smallest of the shifters, but what they lack in size they make up in quirkiness and cunning.Jessica Ward grew up as the only wild dog in a small, Tennessee town ran by the infamous Smith wolves that Bobbie Ray’s father controls. Bullied and bruised, Jessica survived at the bottom of the food chain all of her life—but grew up to be an extremely successful CEO and Alpha female to the biggest wild dog pack in America. When she realizes the boy who broke her heart has moved to New York to stay, she hires his new security company on to show Bobbie Ray how much she’s grown up since the days she used to follow him around with stars in her eyes.Jessica is as sweet (and klutzy) as they come, until someone comes between her and the Kuznetsov Pack’s young. She’s a fierce predator wrapped in a geeky package and Bobby Ray just can’t seem to resist her. She has an elegant shield she wears for the outside world, but when it’s just her and her friends, she’s nerdy, adorable, and loves to chase her tail. Plus, she’s nerdy. What bookworm wouldn’t identify with a nerdy character?Bobbie Ray Smith is one of many sons of the Alpha of Smithtown. He moved his small pack up to New York to start his own little pack. When he “bumps” into Jessie Ann all grown up and living large, he thinks she’ll fall right into his arms just like old times. Boy is he wrong. Instead, she barely wants anything to do with the man who rejected her all those years ago, and ignores his advances.While there were some seriously cute moments for Bobby Ray, Jessica stole my heart. He goes from slut to a one woman man as soon as he sees Jessie Ann again. Not that I didn’t find his character entertaining, and I’m certainly not bashing his slutty ways (the sluttier, the better!), but it’s just not all that believable that the guy changes his whole personality all in one day. It felt very instalove and honestly, I kinda liked him the way he was.. Thankfully, the man’s charismatic personality saved him for me. If you love Mace, you will love Bobbie Ray. He may even turn you into a dog person! Woof, woof.All-in-all THE BEAST IN HIM is a goofy yet sexy sequel that I’ve read many times. It’s full of laughter, my favorite furry characters, and lots of heat! If you haven’t given the Pride series a shot, you are missing out!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Better than the first, the main characters were more captivating, but the plot still left something out, that 'wow' factor which usually makes me love a book and give it those 5 stars. Laughed pretty much through the whole story and I loved the connection between Smitty and Jess. Very good!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5good read, I was ok with the initial stick it in the old flames face scene, but I did not find the need to continue along that line for as long as it went on. I almost put the book down, but once you got past that it was a funny entertaining book
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Although I enjoyed this one, it's more romantic than erotic which I don't mind but it wasn't one of Laurenston's best works. I loved Bobby Ray in The Mane Event stories and Jessie Ann (aka Jessica Ward) was one of the more "innocent" of the author's heroines but I was hoping for some crazy action with the villain but he was just threatened and brushed aside. Never mind, she's still one of my favourite authors.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5a solid read; the storyline involved a lot of humor in the shapeshifter world; very strong heroine and good tension between the characters; look forward to read more from Larenston
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is the second book in the Pride series and it is about New York City Smith Pack Alpha Robert “Bobby or Smitty” Ray Smith. Bobby Ray or Smitty was raised in Tennessee and is a retired Navy SEAL. He is the Partner of Mace Llewellyn in a security firm. He is a happy wolf making his way through the female population of New York when he sees the woman that he has had a thing for since before he left Tennessee. Like most shifter males he is more than a little clueless why he is so drawn to Jessica “Jessie” Ann Warden. He left Smith Town because he wanted to make a place for himself away from all the back stabbing and feuding in Tennessee. Jessie Ann confuses Smitty time and again, but he won’t leave her alone. He knows that there is a reason that he needs her in his life and he finally figures out why before the end of the book. I kind of felt sorry for Smitty. I mean he has to deal with his sister on a daily basis and Sissy Mae can’t be that easy to handle and Jessie Ann runs him a merry chase.Jessie has had a thing for Bobby Ray since she was in high school. She has grown up and made a success of her life as well as becoming the Alpha of the wild dog pack in New York City. The Kuznetsov Pack is a very successful computer security company. They are a bunch of geeks that have struggled to make their life better and more secure. Being wild dogs that are goofy and a little on the crazy side. But all these shifters are smart and at times very vicious, especially when they are protecting their pups. There is quite a bit of humor when Ms. Laurenston writes about this Pack. It is a wonder that Smitty isn't driven to drink on a regular basis when having to deal with this bunch. They never shut up.The villain in this piece is a worthless father that is making trouble so he can get money out of the people that have taken in his daughter and her mother. I have to say I cheered when this idiot got what he deserved. I was tickled that Bobby Ray’s mom stepped in a put a stop to the man’s schemes.I love all these books the first time I read them and they are just as good this time. Ms. Laurenson must know some southern red necks to get their behavior so accurate. These books are well told stories that have great characters and some really hot love scenes.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5When I picked up The Beast in Him a few months ago while snooping in Borders, I knew that it was more of a steamy romantica (romance/erotica) than straight out romance. With this in mind, I never really thought it would be an amazing book by any means. I knew that it would be something hot and steamy, something to grab when you want something sinful. Plus, it was about shifters, which I love in a romance book. Bring on the alpha males. Boy, was I wrong!The Beast in Him is the perfect book, if, like I said before, you want to read something sinful and lite. But after reading it, I have to change that last part-- it's not really lite. It isn't complicated, but it's not a straight out erotica, nor is it a chick lit. However, it is a nice combination of romance and erotica, living up to the proper nickname of romantica. It has its cliches, like many books in the general romance genre. Jessie Ann was the geeky girl in highschool. The one that all the girls picked on (And unlike in regular highschool, these girls didn't just shove and taunt. No, being She-wolves, they were more of the punch and kick ass kind of bullies.) and all the boys laughed at. Except for Bobby Ray, who had a soft spot for her, even clear back then. Sure, he sowed his wild oats with more than his fair share of girls, but it was all because, as a maturing male wolf, their hormores rage out of control, and how was a 17-18 year old boy suppose to know that his destined mate was right there in front of him? Not that I am saying what he did was right, but Jessie doesn't hold it too much against him. No, instead the one thing she holds against him was when he pushed her away-- while he was drunk, no less. I think he deserves extra points for that! Come on, a teenage male, an alpha male wolf to boot, drunk, and yet he still gains control and walks away without even a kiss? If I was her, I'd be pissed off too, at first, but I'd give him points for it later. Anyway, he leaves for the Navy, and not long after, she leaves the small town in Tennesse to make something of herself. And she does, becoming the alpha femal of her own pack. As a wild dog, the lowest breed out there, in the snotty wolves' eyes, she isn't quiet as tame as your average 'nerdy girl'. Nope, quiet the opposite, in fact, especially if you touch her "pups", AKA, the teenage wolf that she's going to adopt, and the various teens and young kids of her Pack members--- and best friends. Bobby, AKA, Smitty, tracks her down, and the chase begins. After many failed attempts (in front of his buddies, cats, no less) to get her attention again, they finally hit his apartment. Needless it say, the scenes that follow are steamy, hot enough to burn the very clothes on your body off. Smitty is the ultimate Alpha Male, and he shows it. But don't get the wrong idea-- Jessie isn't exactly a submissive person either! As time goes on, Jessie starts to realize that even if she had originally only planned on this 'relationship' being simply really hot sex, it's not going to stay that way. Smitty tries his hardest to convince her that they are meant to be together (though even he doesn't think of the word 'mates' at first). After many arguments, misunderstandments, 'help' from both of their Pack members, and quiet a few heavy items thrown at Smitty's head (by Jessie, of course... Don't leave items lying around the place when she's angry!) they both give in and he claims her. She gets pregnant, they get married, and every one's happy. Heck, she even got the big tough Bubba *Smitty's daddy* to cry at the wedding. The only thing that I had a problem with in this book, was the names. Okay, so judging the characters and book based on mere names isn't the best thing to do. But I do it anyway, whether I mean to or not. Maybe it's just me, but for some reason, their names just kind of ruined the sexy scenes for me. Even though they call him Smitty more often than Bobby Ray, Smitty isn't exactly the sexiest name either. **Or is this just me? Comments, please!** Nothing against people who have these names, live in the south, etc. It just didn't quiet do it for me, not for the plot line involved. And we know that they all have accents-- did she have to keep up with the "y'all"? It kind of slowed the conversations down while I was reading it. I'd rather hear their voices/accent in my own mind, not have the author keep 'reminding' us through out the whole book. All in all, The Beast in Him is a good book when you want to get carried away by naughty sex scenes, witty and sarcastic humor, and, most importantly, True Alpha Males. If you can't stand your 'romance' to be extra lusty, than this book may not be for you. However, if you don't mind that, and you have no problems with 'paranormal', in this case shapeshifters *bears, wolves, dogs, hyennas, big cats, etc* then I recommend this book. I did, unfortunately, start The Beast in Him, which is the second one in the series, before reading the first one, The Mane Event, which covers the story of Mace and Dez, a semi-main couple in TBIH. Since I have not read the first one, I couldn't really tell you if skipping one will mess up the story line any or not, but since this one was a good book, I don't think it would hurt to maybe read The Mane Event before moving onto this one. I will be reading the first one as soon as I can find it at the bookstore, and I believe I now have a new author to add to my favorites list.4.5/5 stars. Steamy, lush, wild--and I'm not just talking about the sex! This is a don't miss book for any paranormal fanatic who doesn't mind that it's not a straight out heartwarming romance.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I woke up early this morning to finish this book. Now, I love to sleep, so that should be a hint as to how much I enjoyed this book. Jessica has waited twelve years to get back at Bobby Ray Smith for rejecting her kiss before he left town to join the Navy...and boy was it worth it!! As one of Bobby Ray's friends said "...she shot your ass down like a jet over enemy territory." I snorted my way through this book. Between the shifter jokes (there are dogs, wolves, and lions...oh my) and the redneck attitudes (there's Bobby Ray, his daddy Bubba Rae, his sister Sissy Mae, his momma Janie Mae, Sissy's friend Ronnie Lee, etc) my sides were sore from laughing so much. How Bobby Ray 'courts' Jessica is hilarious. I don't want to spoil it for the rest of you, but I can say that if you enjoy rednecks, shifters, and hot sex...grab this one quick
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The book is completely fine. We just don't click KWIM? DNF @17%