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A Cruel Kind of Beautiful
(Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll #1)
by
If you can’t get to the Big O, can you get to the happily ever after?
Jera McKnight loves music, swoons for hot guys, but sucks at sex. Jacob Tate is her perfect storm: a pun-loving nude model with a heart as big as his record collection.
When a newspaper-delivery accident lands him in her living room, he’s almost tempting enough to make her forget she’s never been able to ...more
Jera McKnight loves music, swoons for hot guys, but sucks at sex. Jacob Tate is her perfect storm: a pun-loving nude model with a heart as big as his record collection.
When a newspaper-delivery accident lands him in her living room, he’s almost tempting enough to make her forget she’s never been able to ...more
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Paperback, 342 pages
Published
December 4th 2017
by Create Space
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Start your review of A Cruel Kind of Beautiful (Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll, #1)

3.5 STARS

This was a new to me author that hooked me with the blurb. I'm a sucker for a good rocker romance, especially if it has quirky writing and humor to beat. After finishing, I can tell you three things:
1. This author is clearly immensely talented and I'll most definitely be checking out all of her future releases.
2. The plot was incredibly uniqu ...more
I let all the air slide out of my lungs. When his scent rides in on my next indrawn breath, I let go for the first time in a long time.

This was a new to me author that hooked me with the blurb. I'm a sucker for a good rocker romance, especially if it has quirky writing and humor to beat. After finishing, I can tell you three things:
1. This author is clearly immensely talented and I'll most definitely be checking out all of her future releases.
2. The plot was incredibly uniqu ...more

3.5 Stars
Confession time?
I only read this because I used to read Hazen's fan fiction.
Scratch that-- I pre-ordered this book because I used to read her fanfiction. I have never preordered a romance in my life. But the stories Hazen wrote for The Vampire Diaries fandom (still listed on Goodreads!) were some of the strongest 'amateur' fiction I've ever read.
All that meaning? I had high expectations for this. Some of them were met, and some weren't.
Something I was completely satisfied with was t ...more
Confession time?
I only read this because I used to read Hazen's fan fiction.
Scratch that-- I pre-ordered this book because I used to read her fanfiction. I have never preordered a romance in my life. But the stories Hazen wrote for The Vampire Diaries fandom (still listed on Goodreads!) were some of the strongest 'amateur' fiction I've ever read.
All that meaning? I had high expectations for this. Some of them were met, and some weren't.
Something I was completely satisfied with was t ...more

I give this book 5 out of 5 Head Banging Stars! I just loved this hilarious and rock worthy romance! Jera was absolutely hilarious and just my type of girl!
She was in a rock band and had a hilarious sarcastic attitude. Jacob was just the perfect guy and totally swoon worthy!
This book was hilarious, had a great plot, fantastic characters, sweet romance and had rock n roll, all that made a rock chick like me have the happiest of feels!
I loved this story and think it was well written. I highly reco ...more
She was in a rock band and had a hilarious sarcastic attitude. Jacob was just the perfect guy and totally swoon worthy!
This book was hilarious, had a great plot, fantastic characters, sweet romance and had rock n roll, all that made a rock chick like me have the happiest of feels!
I loved this story and think it was well written. I highly reco ...more


4.5 stars
A Cruel Kind of Beautiful is my first book by Michelle Hazen, but it won’t be my last. While it had a bit more angst than I normally like, the characters drew me in and their crazy, mixed up lives kept me there. This is a new adult story with a twist because while the characters are 20 and 21, the problems they face and decisions they must make are way beyond their years. I loved the gritty side of this story because it felt real, every day people’s lives are changed forever sometimes i ...more

I really enjoyed A Cruel kind of beautiful with a story line that had me anticipating every page and characters that intrigued me to the point were I wanted to know their stories the things they let no one see . The way Jera and Jacob met in such a meet cute kind of way that had me laughing while also silly grinning . Jera is dealing with a lot of Insecurity thanks to her ex she hasn't felt anything for the male population until one hottie that blushes no less breaks her window , she's also a ve
...more

I just love taking a chance on a “new to me author” and falling in love with their stories. This is my first from Michelle Hazen and I totally loved it. I thought it was going to be a typical rock star romance, but it turned out to be much, much more.
Her characters were totally relatable and I fell in love with them almost instantly. Jera is a quirky almost neurotic chick with dreams of making music that speaks to people. She and her two band mates have a great friendship and share the same int ...more
Her characters were totally relatable and I fell in love with them almost instantly. Jera is a quirky almost neurotic chick with dreams of making music that speaks to people. She and her two band mates have a great friendship and share the same int ...more

So much love for this book. Review to come.
*Update*
It's been a few weeks since I've finished this book, and man...I STILL can't stop thinking about it. There is so much to love about Jera's character. She's not only a sassy rocker girl, but a heroine that you can totally hang with if she were real. She's incredibly relateable, in other words, so much so that I wanted to jump into the pages and hug her. It's a sucky deal what she goes through, (no spoilers here, people) but what I love the most, ...more
*Update*
It's been a few weeks since I've finished this book, and man...I STILL can't stop thinking about it. There is so much to love about Jera's character. She's not only a sassy rocker girl, but a heroine that you can totally hang with if she were real. She's incredibly relateable, in other words, so much so that I wanted to jump into the pages and hug her. It's a sucky deal what she goes through, (no spoilers here, people) but what I love the most, ...more

Nov 30, 2017
Tori
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
arc,
coming-of-age,
e-book,
humor,
kick-arse-heroine,
family,
series,
review-for-smexybooks,
romance-contemporary,
dirty-talk
Originally posted at SmexyBooks-http://smexybooks.com/2017/11/review-...
Favorite Quote: “Men are like beautiful agents of Satan, spreading insecurity and misery throughout the world.”
Jera McKnight has a full plate with her indie band, college, and work. Wholeheartedly embracing celibacy after her last boyfriend blamed her for his performance issues in the bedroom, Jera is definitely not on board with the gorgeous man who just threw a newspaper through her living room window.
Jacob Tate has his ow ...more
Favorite Quote: “Men are like beautiful agents of Satan, spreading insecurity and misery throughout the world.”
Jera McKnight has a full plate with her indie band, college, and work. Wholeheartedly embracing celibacy after her last boyfriend blamed her for his performance issues in the bedroom, Jera is definitely not on board with the gorgeous man who just threw a newspaper through her living room window.
Jacob Tate has his ow ...more

Insecurity is a subject that faces everyone at one time or another. Strength of character lies not in the possessions a person obtains but in the wisdom that helps them become who they were meant to be. A Cruel Kind of Beautiful travels the pathway of raw sensuality and courageous bravery. Whether it be learning to face fears or helping to dry away those rainy day tears, Ms. Hazen keys in on the emotions that make a person tick and strikes a chord to the heart.

I’m always on the lookout for a good rock & roll romance. When I read a rock & roll romance I expect the music to be a character, not a prop. Don’t just give me a character that happens to be a musician. I want to feel the music through the characters, know why they play, see how, without the music, they only half exist. With Cruel Kind of Beautiful, Michelle Hazen does that and more.
Cruel Kind of Beautiful is book one in Hazen’s Sex, Love, & Rock & Roll trilogy featuring the band members of The ...more
Cruel Kind of Beautiful is book one in Hazen’s Sex, Love, & Rock & Roll trilogy featuring the band members of The ...more

What a gem! Hazen's characters are refreshing and real, the music and banter and rippling sexual tension absolutely perfect. I read this book hungrily until the last page.
...more

As a reader obsessed with rock star romances I found myself charmed by this character-driven romance set amidst the backdrop of a rock band’s early rise to fame. Issues of self-esteem, accepting obligations, and all the expected ups-and-downs young rockers face in an attempt to not sacrifice their creativity for promised shots at fame abound in this compelling read. With a romance that builds slowly and satisfyingly it all leads to an ending that had me cheering and hopeful for the next installm
...more

I've been following Michelle's work, through her kindle worlds books and other fanfiction, for a while, so I knew "A Cruel Kind of Beautiful" would be a special kind of amazing. It did not disappoint.
Jera is wonderfully flawed and genuine narrator with a humorous and biting narrative voice that lends this book a beautiful authenticity. Her insecurities about her love life and her artistic life tug at your heartstrings, they're so relatable. Jacob is everything a smart woman really wants in a ma ...more
Jera is wonderfully flawed and genuine narrator with a humorous and biting narrative voice that lends this book a beautiful authenticity. Her insecurities about her love life and her artistic life tug at your heartstrings, they're so relatable. Jacob is everything a smart woman really wants in a ma ...more

A Cruel Kind of Beautiful by Michelle Hazen
I am voluntarily reviewing this ARC.
I loved this book! This author takes problems, real life problems, that no one likes to talk about and puts flesh and bones on them. Jera is so beautifully flawed. She’s an aspiring drummer and songwriter for an up and coming band. Jacob...how to describe Jacob. Yum is just to simple. I don’t want to give away any of this book, so you’ll just have to trust me, Jacob is a good guy. He’s everything that makes a woman sw ...more
I am voluntarily reviewing this ARC.
I loved this book! This author takes problems, real life problems, that no one likes to talk about and puts flesh and bones on them. Jera is so beautifully flawed. She’s an aspiring drummer and songwriter for an up and coming band. Jacob...how to describe Jacob. Yum is just to simple. I don’t want to give away any of this book, so you’ll just have to trust me, Jacob is a good guy. He’s everything that makes a woman sw ...more

What's a girl to do when she believes with all her heart that she's terrible between the sheets? Swear off boyfriends forever, of course, and throw all her energy into her part-time gig as a drummer for an up-and-coming rock band.
Until she meets Jacob, a kind and conflicted engineering student formerly on the fast track to a career in baseball. Opposites attract in the best sort of way. What follows is an exercise in heat, patience, and learning the true meaning of trust.
A Cruel Kind of Beautif ...more
Until she meets Jacob, a kind and conflicted engineering student formerly on the fast track to a career in baseball. Opposites attract in the best sort of way. What follows is an exercise in heat, patience, and learning the true meaning of trust.
A Cruel Kind of Beautif ...more

I don’t usually read New Adult - I’m a little too far past the age to be patient with people making bad decisions, and so much of NA seems to skew that way. With that out of the way, I loved this book. Jera was an especially relatable heroine: someone for whom sex and trust don’t come easy (and yes, the two are related in a very realistic way). Her past boyfriends have laid their lack of patience and experience at her door, thinking that sex should be turnkey-easy every time.
Enter Jacob, a guy w ...more
Enter Jacob, a guy w ...more

Sweet read
A sweet read. Jera is a definite head case emo girl. I can relate though. She just wants to be good enough for everyone and doesn’t feel worthy not even with her parents. I think we all go through that at one time or another on our lives. Jera takes it to extreme and at times I want to punch her in the face.
Jacob is wonderful and he sure sucks up a great deal of crap from Jera. He is going through so much and Jera is in her own little head space.
The music stuff is interesting. Wish t ...more
A sweet read. Jera is a definite head case emo girl. I can relate though. She just wants to be good enough for everyone and doesn’t feel worthy not even with her parents. I think we all go through that at one time or another on our lives. Jera takes it to extreme and at times I want to punch her in the face.
Jacob is wonderful and he sure sucks up a great deal of crap from Jera. He is going through so much and Jera is in her own little head space.
The music stuff is interesting. Wish t ...more

copy received for honest review
This book caught my attention because Jera is a female drummer in a band
The book started off pretty good but slowed down somewhere in the middle. I liked the characters especially Jacob. He is a pretty good guy. He made a lot of sacrifices for his family. He was pretty amazing. Jera was a character that I often lost patience with. She had some issues that almost cost her happiness. I liked the story overall. The writing was pretty good. I look forward to reading mo ...more
This book caught my attention because Jera is a female drummer in a band
The book started off pretty good but slowed down somewhere in the middle. I liked the characters especially Jacob. He is a pretty good guy. He made a lot of sacrifices for his family. He was pretty amazing. Jera was a character that I often lost patience with. She had some issues that almost cost her happiness. I liked the story overall. The writing was pretty good. I look forward to reading mo ...more

I was having trouble sleeping the other night and picked this book up. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. Stayed up the entire night to read it. Michelle Hazen turns some of the common seen roles around and it is our female MC who is in a band on the verge of a career breakthrough. Jacob is a guy with a lot on his plate, and he is sweet and kind and I loved him so. Oh, and he was HOT. There is tons of sexual tension and the ending was perfection. Can't wait for the next one!!
...more
...more

Such a sweet romance that gave me all the feels ❤️
I was expecting an a-typical rock star romance but this was the complete opposite, telling the story instead of a young and upcoming band trying to secure a record deal. The story about the band is only part of the overall book theme though as this focusses mainly on two characters: Jacob and Jera who find themselves meeting, unexpectedly, and immediately feeling an attraction to one another. Jera is avoiding boys after a string of unfortunate at ...more
I was expecting an a-typical rock star romance but this was the complete opposite, telling the story instead of a young and upcoming band trying to secure a record deal. The story about the band is only part of the overall book theme though as this focusses mainly on two characters: Jacob and Jera who find themselves meeting, unexpectedly, and immediately feeling an attraction to one another. Jera is avoiding boys after a string of unfortunate at ...more

Absolutely loved this book! Jera is a college student and the drummer in a band. She’s a total bad@ss on the drums but is filled with insecurities when it comes to men. Jacob attends the same college. He’s had to take on some major responsibilities after a tragedy. The chemistry between them was PERFECTION! I loved their banter. It hooked me from their first meeting! These characters were so real to me. Jacob was so mature about how he handled everything from his family to Jera. I can’t wait to
...more

Let me just say, my two favorite romance tropes are rockstar and sports. A CRUEL KIND OF BEAUTIFUL was both. Now, to be clear, Jera and her band The Red Letters are trying to hit it big and Jacob due to unforeseen events, had to quit the college baseball team. But this book was just so fun and well written. Hazen wove a story about how "the one" loves all of you no matter what and I absolutely loved that about A Cruel Kind of Beautiful.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest re ...more
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest re ...more

This is the first book I've read by this author, and I'm so happy I read this! I absolutely loved this book! It was everything I wasn't expecting, and so much more than I could've wanted! This is a book with all the feels, a great story line, and characters who you can relate to. I love how Jera is portrayed, she's so relatable, and Jacob,,swoon!! 💖💖💖
I can't wait to read the rest of the series
I'm voluntarily leaving a review for this ARC ...more
I can't wait to read the rest of the series
I'm voluntarily leaving a review for this ARC ...more

copy received for honest review
This book caught my attention because Jera is a female drummer in a band
The book started off pretty good but slowed down somewhere in the middle. I liked the characters especially Jacob. He is a pretty good guy. He made a lot of sacrifices for his family. He was pretty amazing. Jera was a character that I often lost patience with. She had some issues that almost cost her happiness. I liked the story overall. The writing was pretty good. I look forward to reading mo ...more
This book caught my attention because Jera is a female drummer in a band
The book started off pretty good but slowed down somewhere in the middle. I liked the characters especially Jacob. He is a pretty good guy. He made a lot of sacrifices for his family. He was pretty amazing. Jera was a character that I often lost patience with. She had some issues that almost cost her happiness. I liked the story overall. The writing was pretty good. I look forward to reading mo ...more

A Cruel Kind of Beautiful by Michelle Hazen
A Cruel Kind of Beautiful is a witty and sexy new adult trilogy that revolves around an up and coming indie band, The Red Letters. Author Michelle Hazen brings to her latest romance contemporary love, laughter, charm and a deep streak of vulnerability. She writes with authenticity in dealing with issues of self-worth, dealing with the price we pay for subjugating our needs to please others, and how do you ask for what you want in relationships and deali ...more
A Cruel Kind of Beautiful is a witty and sexy new adult trilogy that revolves around an up and coming indie band, The Red Letters. Author Michelle Hazen brings to her latest romance contemporary love, laughter, charm and a deep streak of vulnerability. She writes with authenticity in dealing with issues of self-worth, dealing with the price we pay for subjugating our needs to please others, and how do you ask for what you want in relationships and deali ...more
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Michelle Hazen is a nomad with a writing problem. Years ago, she and her husband ducked out of the 9 to 5 world and moved into their truck. She found her voice with the support of the online fanfiction community, and once she started typing, she never looked back. She has written most of her books in odd places, including a bus in Thailand, an off-the-grid cabin in the Sawtooth Mountains, a golf c
...more
Other books in the series
Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll
(3 books)
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