Book Review for the Pursuit of Innocence by Bethany Rosa

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form. 

Pursuit of Innocence, by Bethany Rosa, is a contemporary billionaire romance about how romance can bolster or destroy your self-awareness and self-confidence. Lily Thompson is a hardworking, ambitious young woman who wants nothing more than to leave her old marketing firm. When she gets an opportunity to work with one of America’s most prominent CEOs, Sebastian Dubree, Lily tries to reconcile the fact she has to deal with his unwarranted attention, even if he is attractive. Sebastian Dubree, meanwhile, is head over heels for Lily Thompson, no matter how much he denies it or how often his twin brother, Eli, calls him out. When she shows no interest in him, he is beyond confused and decides to make it his life’s work to get her to sleep with him. The two are soon engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse, unknowing of the danger that stalks Lily.

I personally loved the scenes between Lily and Sebastian. While their thoughts don’t correlate with their actions, the moments they have together are endearing, as messy as they may be. And honestly, with the way things were heading, I half-expected Jackson to join in on the fun. While I was disappointed that he didn’t (which makes sense, all things considered), I’m glad he and Lily are still friends. It would’ve been a weird turn if he had a humiliation kink, but I’d be completely fine with it. As I’m writing this, I’m shipping Sebastian and Jackson. 

But while I liked their interactions, Sebastian and Lily’s relationship was a little off for me. Maybe it’s because I haven’t drunken the #BookTok kool-aide yet, or maybe I’m just that much of a bore, but if a guy approaches me the way Sebastian approaches Lily, especially with the whole you-can’t-hang-around-other-guys tidbit, I would’ve blocked him. It’s the same thing with Jackson; he was a bit of a jackass for bringing up his feelings to her when she told him she was already with Sebastian. Moreover, I’m sick of these guys wanting Lily for her “innocence”, rather than her whole being; it’s like Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, but worse. Kevin, Brad, Jackson, and even at times, Sebastian, thought they could get Lily to do what they wanted, not understanding that she’s her own person. She doesn’t need their approval to live her life, no matter how they might justify it.

This brings me to another thing; I was pleasantly surprised when Lily remained focused on her career. I love that she proved herself to Sebastian, her college, and her colleagues. I like the fact she takes pride in her own accomplishments and how conscious she is of her place in life; you can tell she doesn’t come from privilege, that even though you have all these people helping her, she is willing to work hard to get where she wants to be. I have to admire her for that.

I was thoroughly entertained. While the tone was a little off, and the character relationships were more than infuriating at times, I love the themes surrounding Lily. Rosa did not disappoint when she created a strong heroine. I would love to read more. As such, I would give this a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. 

Just to let you guys know, the author is doing a giveaway! Click here to enter!