Brazen and the Beast

The Bareknuckle Bastards, Book 2

By: Sarah MacLean

Narrated by: Justine Eyre

New York Times best-selling author Sarah MacLean returns with the next audiobook in the Bareknuckle Bastards series about three brothers bound by a secret that they cannot escape - and the women who bring them to their knees.

The Lady’s Plan

When Lady Henrietta Sedley declares her 29th year her own, she has plans to inherit her father’s business, to make her own fortune, and to live her own life. But first, she intends to experience a taste of the pleasure she’ll forgo as a confirmed spinster. Everything is going perfectly...until she discovers the most beautiful man she’s ever seen tied up in her carriage and threatening to ruin the Year of Hattie before it’s even begun.

The Bastard’s Proposal

When he wakes in a carriage at Hattie’s feet, Whit, a king of Covent Garden known to all the world as Beast, can’t help but wonder about the strange woman who frees him - especially when he discovers she’s headed for a night of pleasure...on his turf. He is more than happy to offer Hattie all she desires...for a price.

An Unexpected Passion

Soon, Hattie and Whit find themselves rivals in business and pleasure. She won’t give up her plans; he won’t give up his power...and neither of them sees that if they’re not careful, they’ll have no choice but to give up everything...including their hearts.

©2019 Sarah MacLean (P)2019 HarperAudio

The Year of Hattie

After enjoying the second novel The Bareknuckle Bastards series, Brazen and the Beast I’m officially a fan of Sarah MacLean. I enjoy her voice and the characters she pens. I plan on reading and/or listening to her backlist while I wait for the next release in the series.

I think the series should be renamed to The Bareknuckle Bastards and the Old Maid Virgins They Love. Hatti like the heroine in the previous book is in her late twenties (turning 29 to be exact) and because of the time period she is considered to be an old maid because she has not been married. Hatti doesn’t want the life society tells her she should have. Marriage and a family with her husband running a business. She wants to run her own business and she knows the only way to do so is to ruin her reputation by getting rid of her virginity. If she does so no respectable gentlemen will want to marry her.

Hatti meets Whit aka Beast the night she decided to go to a brothel that caters to females. Someone threw an unconscious Whit into her carriage. She believes him to be the most beautiful man she has ever seen. They share a kiss before she pushes him out of the moving carriage.

Whit cannot believe Hatti is not afraid of him like everyone else. She pushes all his buttons but he knows she is not for him. He believes she is too good for him and that if he were to go after her, it would put her in danger from his brother Ewan.

Hatti and Beast make an agreement that he will help her with business plan and the plan to her ruination. As the two dances around their attraction, they come to love each other. Watching them overcome their issues and find a HEA was very enjoyable. The banter was fun, the chemistry was very sexy and there was a touch of action and danger to round out Brazen and the Beast into a perfect romance.

Justine Eyre continues to delight my ears with her narration job on The Bareknuckle Bastards series. She does an amazing job switching from female to male characters. Justine is one of the few female narrators who can easily do a sexy male voice without sounding forced. She is the reason I used an Audible credit on release day even though I had an eARC of Brazen and the Beast.

wonderful and fun

I loved the first in series and this one just as much. I cannot wait for the third

series gets better and better

great story that builds on the first. cant wait for the third installment featuring Grace and Ewen. that's going to be one difficult morality thread but Sarah is up to the task!

Sarah has done it again!

Justine Eyre and Sarah MacLean have teamed up to create another masterpiece! Sarah has a way of drawing characters who are complicated and messy and they make you love them and want to know everything about them. Justine's voice brings them to life and has you not wanting the story to end. This series keeps getting richer and more compelling with each installment. I can't wait for Grace's story and I hope she either gives Nick & Nora their own story or at least weaves more details about them in Grace's.

this was fun!

Book 2! I was a little hesitant about this one because I didn't really like Whit in the last one. Some of his decisions made me mad! But I decided to give it ago.

The story continues with Lady Henrietta who is SO old that she might as well throw in the rag because she is 29. She decides it is time to live her life and screw the rest of everyone. She wants to inherit her father's business because she is good and smart and better than her dumb brother. However, she discovers a man tied up in her carriage mysteriously and little does she know that this man may ruin the Year of Hattie. Whit wakes up in a carriage at Hattie's feet. He is called Beast because he is...well...a beast. He works side-by-side with his brother at Covent Garden smuggling in goods. Things happen and Hattie and Whit find themselves as rivals in business and pleasure. She won't give up her plans and he won't give in to love or let go of his power.

Okay...so I did not like Whit going into this one. However, my mind was quickly changed. I got to hear his side of stuff and plus his sister-in-law and brother are not mad so neither I am. He does what he does to protect those he loves. Okay. You win author...I adore Whit now. ;)

I liked Hattie immediately. I loved her zest to make her own life! Screw feeling bad for yourself. Screw those snotty people. AND WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU ENGLISH MEN!!!!!???? BIG BOOBS ARE NOT GROSS! YOU DO YOU HATTIE! WHIT LIKES YOUR BOOBS AND HEIGHT! Sorry. I wanted to shake someone because she is tall with big boobs. Why wouldn't the men like that? Gah. They want the little ones I guess.....boo on them.

Loved, loved, LOVED Nora. She was fun. I am also liking this maybe relationship she may have. I guess we'll have to see what book 3 has in store. Too bad she isn't getting her own book. Boooooo. Maybe we'll get a side short story ;) That would be nice.

The narrator was fantastic as usual. She really brings these characters and world to life.

Overall, this was fun. I loved Hattie and Whit. I also loved Nora. She was her own little gift to the reader/listener. I highly recommend reading/listening to book 1 first. I'll give this 4 stars.

Steamy & Sensual

I truly enjoyed the female character’s strength of mind & purpose. The ‘Beast’ was wildly compelling especially during live scenes. Great story and physiological insights into the character’s motivations for their actions. The narrators male voices leave something to be desired but I was able to overlook that flaw due to her handling of the main text. Bravo. I heartily recommend this audio book.

Ohhh My!

This was an amazing,exciting, tearful read... I can’t say I love this story enough. Words can’t explain the feeling of admiration for the characters. Phenomenal job, Sarah.

Fantastic Listen

The narrator Justine Eyre did a fantastic job. I really enjoyed this story and the characters.

Love Maclean novels. Heroine almost too unappealin

I enjoy Sarah McLean novels. She is an excellent, professional writer. With so many sketchy indi writers out there I look for writers that I can rely on.

I enjoy that her heroines are strong and at the same time vulnerable and no brats, I loathe brat=strength.

Sometimes McLeans heroines are imperfect, BBW. I like that they aren't always perfect. However, Hattie's description was so imperfect: large, huge, fleshy, dowdy, wide nose, large mouth; I mean, this is "Historical Romance", we read for fantasy and escapism. Some physical appeal would be nice. It doused the fantasy and was a little distracting that she was "that" unappealing.
That is my only complaint. Really good performance, Justine Eyre is an excellent narrator. Sexy scenes aren't same old tired worn out descriptions I find myself skipping over, they are tantalizing and unique to the story and characters. Over all a fun, relaxing romance.

Beast BOOK 2

I absolutely adored The Rules of Scoundrels series, I loved BooK 1 of the Bareknucke Bastards, but the second book BEAST without a doubt reigns as the sexiest well written book I have ever read of Ms. Maclean!!
Well done Sarah. I so appreciate all the research you accumulated for this book! I didn’t expect to like it, but I did LOVE it! My favorite so far. Although I am highly anticipating Ewen and Grace’s love story.
Thank you for these books, many hours of pure reading pleasure. An author of the first water for sure!! Write on!!!