Beautiful stranger
Bold
Intense
Refreshing

Beautiful stranger a novel

Financial consultant Sara Dillon moves to New York City and, hoping for a causual encounter, meets British playboy Max Stella at a dance club, as they embark on a tumultuous affair that leaves Max wondering if he has met his match.
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Reviews

Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks
4.5 stars
Jul 27, 2023

Wowoowowowowow, wow.

This was it.

I’ve explored some new fav tropes of mine through this book, that I never thought I’d be into.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this relationship and it’s characters, and OBSESSED with Christina Lauren’s writing!

I enjoyed it so much.

+5
Photo of sam
sam@sammiev
3 stars
Dec 15, 2022

definitely an interesting read . . . very fetish/exhibitionist positive that specific club they went to . . . is that really a thing irl?? I'm scared to google it Omg Max is so whipped for Sara, literally kisses the ground she walks on!! muhaha love to see it Taylor Swift's "Endgame" is the perfect song for this book!! that song reminds me of Sara and Max. I was so ecstatic finding a song that perfectly fit a book I'm reading

Photo of Sven Test
Sven Test@sven-sg-test-1
5 stars
Aug 31, 2022

My gosh, I absolutely loved this!

Photo of Ley Stanton
Ley Stanton@feyley
5 stars
Aug 12, 2022

I would love to read a Christian Lauren book that didn't hurt my soul, but then it would lose one of the things that makes her books so dynamic. I didn't think anyone could have a more complicated relationship than Chloe and Bennett, I was wrong. I'm so happy that this is a continuing series where all of the characters (especially my favorites) are in all of the books because it gives you a more full idea of what the characters' lives are like. I'm not generally one for the 'happily ever after' and then 'the end.' I want to see their happily ever after.

Photo of Juliette
Juliette@jgreg357
3 stars
Jan 17, 2022

I enjoyed "Beautiful Bastard" a lot more than this book. It was good, but it took me a lot longer to fully get caught up in the book and read for long periods of time, so it took a lot longer for me to get through. I would still consider reading others in the series eventually though.

Photo of Paula Narvaez
Paula Narvaez@paula_narvaez14
4 stars
Dec 1, 2021

This was sweet, easygoing, and cool... I think I'm in love with both Max and Sara lol

Photo of Destiny Rose Pluff
Destiny Rose Pluff@desspluff
5 stars
Nov 22, 2021

Max Stella needs to be a real person, everytime I hear that accent in my head it makes me melt! How can a fictional character make your heart melt?! Ugh British accents are my weakness I swear!

Photo of Clara hash
Clara hash@clarahash
5 stars
Nov 7, 2021

love. love. love.

Photo of Kim
Kim@kimberlyfayereads
5 stars
Oct 6, 2021

Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads . Y'all, I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Max freaking Stella. I loved this book so freaking hard. Like I said when I reviewed Beautiful Bastard, I am absolutely kicking myself for not reading these books sooner. Though, there is something to be said for a lovely Christina Lauren binge-read. What starts out as a one night stand ends up as so much more in Beautiful Stranger. I was hopelessly hooked on all things Sara and Max right from their first encounter. Their trysts were hot. But I loved more than than just the sexy times they shared. I thoroughly enjoyed just watching them interact with each other. Despite their unconventional start, it wasn't long before it was easy to see just how much they really felt for one another. One of my favorite things about this book (besides EVERYTHING) was the role reversal. In so many books, it's the woman who wants more and the man who holds back. Not here. Sara wanted to keep things casual and private (except, you know, when they were exploring their voyeuristic sides and taking photos) and Max, the former playboy and hot British man, was interested in more. I loved how this shifted the story a bit. I know the reformed bad boy thing can get tiresome after awhile, but it didn't AT ALL when it came to Max. I think that's partially because we don't actually SEE that side of him. It's not a secret, but we didn't have to watch it. Somehow that made it better for me. Sara's history was interesting, and while we didn't find out the truth until later in the book, I could understand why she was cautious about being seen with a man as much in the public eye as Max was. Beautiful Stranger had it all. It was funny, sexy and sweet. It was also a little more emotional than I thought it would be going in. There were definitely some teary eyes as I got to the end of the story. But, it all ended with a big smile on my face. Most importantly, I loved the characters in this book. Sara and Max were both fantastic. I enjoyed their character development throughout. I loved how they pushed each other. But, most of all, I just adored them together. As a bonus, Chloe and Bennett played a pretty large part in the book and I loved catching up with them. I'm definitely intrigued by Will and am excited to start Beautiful Player. This has quickly become one of my favorite series. I listened to the audiobook version of this, which was damn near perfection. Both Grace Grant and Jonathan Cole were fantastic narrators. I could feel the emotion of the story through each of them. While I'm sure this book would've been just as enjoyable if read in eBook or paperback format, there's a huge bonus in having a sexy British narrator. *swoons* So much yes. Loved this one!

Photo of Marlee
Marlee@in_marlees_mind
5 stars
Sep 25, 2021

THIS.BOOK. Christina Lauren MADE ME NEED HOLY WATER. THE SPICE IN THIS BOOK IS TOP NOTCH LIKE IS IT EVEN SPICE AT THIS POINT 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️ 🌶️🌶️ I BECAME SO INVESTED IN THESE CHARACTERS I READ THE WHOLE SERIES INCLUDING NOVELLAS IN 2 WEEKS. LIKE MAX AND SARA ARE JUST SO WELL WRITTEN THE THINGS HE DID FOR HER. I HAD BUTTERFLIES THIS ENTIRE BOOK. THE WAREHOUSE SCENE ASDFGHJKL BRAVO BRAVO LOVED IT AND I WILL BE RE READING PROCEED WITH CAUTION THE SPICE IS DETAILED AND DESCRIPTIVE AND NSFW

Photo of Alyssa Jacunski
Alyssa Jacunski@unread-shelves
5 stars
Sep 3, 2021

Continuing on in my re-read (this time listen) to this series. I prefer Max Stella and Sarah to Bennett and Chloe from book one. Sarah is character that we met in book 1 (although we don't deeply know her). Max Stella is always on page six gossip in Manhattan and a very eligible bachelor and successful venture capitalist. This explores Max and Stella's first meeting, their exploration as a sex only and finally learning about each other and what they like, don't like and if they want more. This has some quite steamy moments, so yes expect sex scenes. This is the original Christina Lauren that I first fell in love with reading, and I'm so excited to keep going through the series. Trigger warnings for cheating (former, we don't watch it happen).

Photo of Genesis (@whisperingchapters)
Genesis (@whisperingchapters)@whisperingchapters
5 stars
Aug 3, 2021

My gosh, I absolutely loved this!

Photo of Alex Hill
Alex Hill @mybookishworld
4 stars
May 21, 2024
Photo of Heather
Heather@heathersreads
3 stars
May 4, 2023
Photo of Katelyn Crowder
Katelyn Crowder@krcrowder
4 stars
Feb 13, 2023
Photo of Anna Bush
Anna Bush@annabandana222
4 stars
Sep 2, 2022
Photo of Victoria Canelon
Victoria Canelon@aswiftieinfantasy
2 stars
Jul 6, 2022
Photo of Josi
Josi@lightgold11441
4 stars
May 21, 2022
Photo of Hanna Felder
Hanna Felder@fairyfae
4 stars
Jan 3, 2022
Photo of Klara Krebelj
Klara Krebelj@klaraa8
4 stars
Oct 13, 2021
Photo of Kara Mays
Kara Mays@karaem
5 stars
Sep 25, 2021
Photo of Lorena
Lorena@wondygal
3 stars
Jul 5, 2024
Photo of Prerana agrawal
Prerana agrawal@prerana
5 stars
Mar 12, 2024
Photo of Marcy Pursell
Marcy Pursell @mpursell21
4 stars
Feb 12, 2024

Highlights

Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

“How could you stand it?”

“Stand what?” He stepped behind me and bent to kiss the back of my neck.

“Seeing these pictures every day.” I pointed to his wall. “If they’d been on my wall while we were apart it would have hurt so much I would have gone fetal and subsisted entirely on Cap’n Crunch and self-pity.”

He laughed and turned me to face him. “I wasn’t ready to get over you yet. I was miserable, but would have been more miserable if I’d admitted it was over.”

And that’s what he gave me, a reminder that the glass wasn’t just half full, it was overflowing.

Page 32

IM DYING

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

“I think that was the most fun I’ve ever had,” she whispered.

And I suspected I’d do almost anything to spend the rest of my life making this woman happy.

Page 27

I’m falling for him what

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

So maybe if I ever met this Andy twat I wouldn’t actually punch his smug face after all. Maybe I’d shake his hand for messing things up with Sara so epically that she moved to New York and stopped being the woman who did what she was supposed to do, and started to be the woman who did what she bloody well wanted.

Page 27

Fr max

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

And fuck, for the first time in my life, I wanted to be someone’s only.

Page 26

Starting to love the player-turned-softie-for-her trope!!!

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

for the first time I understood how being out in plain sight with me had allowed Sara to be whoever she wanted to be. She could play. She could be wild and adventurous and take risks.

And so could I. Here, I could be the man who was desperately in love for the first time in my life.

Page 26

No words, just Max’s.

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

Fuck. The woman could ask me to kneel and kiss her toes and I would do it.

I almost said it: I love you. The words got so close to escaping that I literally turned away from her, and walked over to the bar to fix myself a drink.

Page 26

Live laugh love Max

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

She nodded, lifting her drink and taking a sip, studying me. “No one here knows who I am, but still I’m the one wearing a wig and a mask.”

Smiling, I pointed out, “Historically you have been the one who wants to remain hidden.”

“You would do this for me? Let people watch us together?”

“I suspect I would do almost anything for you,” I admitted. And then, unable to see in the dark corner how my words affected her, I added, “The thought is probably just as much a rush for me as it seems to be for you.”

Page 26

Stop.

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

Was I being a pu**y for not taking her out to eat, for fear she might balk at this plan if she had too much time to think it over?

Absofuckinglutely.

Page 25

HaHHahHahHhAh

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

And while we watched, Sara showed Big Derek how to do a dance across the floor: two quick steps, two slow steps. She demonstrated how he was to quickly spin her counterclockwise around the room. Within one song, they were moving pretty good, and by the middle of the second, they were both cracking up, dancing together like they’d known each other for years.

Maybe that’s what it was about Sara. Anyone who met her wanted to know her. She wasn’t just appealingly sweet to me, with her innocence pushing through even given her basest fantasies. She was irresistible to everyone.

And in that moment, there was nothing I wanted to do more than punch Andy’s smug f**king face. He’d wasted his time with her, wasted her.



Page 22

Max…. You’re killing me

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

To say my interaction with Max at the park had been odd would be an understatement. I knew I’d overreacted, but honestly? So had he. Worrying about my reaction in the conference room? Chasing me down? What were we doing?

Page 18

Falling in love you dumbass

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

“I’m twenty-seven,” I reminded him. “You’re not being a pervert by checking out my boobs.”

“Twenty-seven,” he repeated, grinning. He acted like every bit of information I gave him was a pearl he could string on a necklace. “How many days is that?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “What? It’s . . .” I looked up for a few seconds. “About nine thousand, eight hundred fifty. But more, actually, since my birthday is in August. About ten thousand.”

He groaned and pressed a dramatic hand to his chest. “Fuck. Numbers queen and stacked like that. I’m helpless against your charm.”

Page 9

Finally experiencing the M in STEM💞😚😭

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Alma
Alma @abooks

Minutes later I found Chloe and Julia, both of them ready to head home. Arm in arm we left the club, and only after we were in the limo, and I was silently reliving every second of what had just happened with that strange, powerful man, did I remember: I’d left my underwear on the floor at his feet, and the video of me dancing on his phone.

Page 3

Shit. If Maxs gonna carry the panty tradition from Bennet, I will cry.

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Anastasia Vogl
Anastasia Vogl@anxstasia

"Yes, but you're more my type."

"Posh? Gifted in the penis department? Godlike?"