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Reviews, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Brave & Beautiful: Elizabeth Varlet

by - Monday, October 09, 2017

Brave & Beautiful (Sassy Boyz #3)
Elizabeth Varlet

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Release Date October 10, 2017


Sexy, seductive and hiding dark secrets, the Sassy Boyz return to the stage in Brave & Beautiful

There’s only one relationship that matters to Tameron "Tam" Kis—his love affair with dance. Life’s been pretty shitty, but dance got him through it and now he’s ready to focus on what he loves. He doesn’t have the bandwidth for any distractions—especially not his sexy, not-quite-straight new neighbor.

Driver Ellis doesn’t need anything but his bike and the open road. He wouldn’t trade his drifter lifestyle for anything…until his friend calls in a favor and Driver suddenly finds himself pet-sitting. Driver isn’t thrilled being stuck in one place, though things start to look up when he sets eyes on the gorgeous girl next door. 

There’s just one problem… She isn’t a girl at all.

All it takes is one spontaneous dance to turn both Driver's and Tam’s worlds upside down. They might not have been looking for love, but as things heat up between them, it’s clear life has very different plans.

Tameron  Kis lives for dancing as his escape from his past and his lack of fulfillment in his present life. He is fearful, cautious, quiet, and just getting his life together and living on his own. His looks and manner of dress make him appear more feminine. He has not really been interested in sex or relationships, due to some personal issues from his past. His dance group the Sassy Boyz are still looking for a new place to dance after their previous club closed down, but they are still an important part of his daily life. 

Driver Ellis is  a rambling man that would rather ride away from bad memories or problems. All he needs is his bike and the open road. But he is now back in his hometown for a bit and living across the hall from Tam. He initially thinks Tam is a gorgeous girl, but also does not mind that he is actually a male. He swings any way he wants, but does not make promises.

These two have an unexpected attraction and connection. And soon both are feeling temptation and desire. Driver is not shy with trying to drag Tam out of his shell. He makes Tam want to be braver and more adventurous. But they both have baggage, fears, insecurities, guilt, anger, and shame that have haunted them and affected how they live their lives.

Companionship and a sense of peace is something they both need. And they really both need more than that, but are afraid of it. Besides Tam is the guy who stays in one place and is predictable, and Driver is already ready to move on to new experiences and is afraid of getting stuck somewhere. He tends to run when things get complicated or too serious. But he cannot actually run from things in his own head.

This centers around sharing, hope, healing, finding safety and acceptance, and fighting demons. I could empathize more with the sweet and vulnerable Tam and understood his issues more. And Tam was at least willing to work on his issues and try to move forward. I could see how Driver was affected by his past, but his extreme avoidance tendencies and continued self punishment were frustrating. He was so stuck in his own head that I seriously wanted to smack sense into him. Both really needed to trust, share, and release themselves of shame and guilt to move on. But it will only work if they both are willing to take the risk.

This was an emotional story of two broken men finding an unexpected connection, but not sure if they will be able to really keep it. There were a few things that I wanted to know more about or to see more of. Overall, I liked this book, but not quite as much as the last two. The other Sassy Boyz and significant others Ansel and Fitch, Z and Connelly, Jae, Hop, and Lirim are all present in this installment and are really Tam's pseudo family. Driver had his two best friends, Harrison and Brandon, and his grandparents that cared about him. A couple of new characters with potential were also briefly introduced. Lirim is really struggling in this one and I anticipate he might be the subject of the next book, but there are always Hop and Jae too.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Even without reading the blurb for Brave & Beautiful, the third novel in Elizabeth Varlet’s Sassy Boyz series, I knew it would be a story with a good bit of angst and drama because the previous books were. I also knew it would be a story pairing another of the dancers who are all about being fierce performers while wearing heels and make-up with, most likely, a big, masculine guy. Both of these things were true, but even though I liked the story enough to continue through to the end, I had some significant issues with it that kept me from being able to enjoy it as much as I had hoped.

Driver Ellis refuses to stay in one spot for long. It’s a defense mechanism against his tragic past. When memories threaten to overwhelm him, his motorcycle and the open road to destination unknown are all he needs. It’s been a while since the last time he was “home” in New York City, but when a friend needs someone to watch his place, Driver doesn’t pass up the chance to make a little money rent-free. Dance is Tam Kis’s real love, and together with the other guys in the Sassy Boyz, it’s the reason he’s been able to keep himself out of trouble after surviving a truly awful childhood, one that among other things has left him with no desire to be in any sort of intimate relationship. Besides, the Sassy Boyz being without a place to perform is a big enough worry to keep his attention focused, or at least it should be. But when he meets Driver in the laundry room in the middle of the night, neither can get the other out of mind.

Knowing their pasts is the key to understanding each of the main characters in Brave & Beautiful, so I’m going to refrain from spilling too many details on what’s behind each of their hang-ups. Despite seeing love strike twice for fellow Sassy Boyz recently, Tam isn’t interested in love. Tam’s also not interested in sex. In fact, even thinking about it brings back terrifying memories for him. As his past is revealed through the story, all of Tam’s behaviors and reactions fit perfectly for what he’s been through. His passion for choreographing the group’s dances, something that is highly sexualized and intimate for all of them, is completely at odds with his fear of real personal intimacy. Also, in spite of all he has already overcome, he’s the first main character from the Sassy Boyz who doesn’t come across as a bitchy asshole when push comes to shove, a fact that surprised me in a good way. All that put together made Tam my favorite of the main characters in the series so far.

Driver, on the other hand, was almost completely unsatisfying to me as a character, and it really boiled down to a single big problem I had with the structure of the novel as it pertained to Driver’s story. At the beginning, I was on board, enjoying the interactions between him and Tam, particularly the scene where they end up dancing together, during which the intensity of their initial connection came through in a beautiful and breathtaking manner. It’s clear from the outset that both these men have issues caused by their pasts, and it isn’t terribly long before we get details about Tam’s, and when Driver learns these things, his responses are ideal for handling Tam’s fears. To be honest, they’re almost too perfect, to the point where they don’t quite mesh with Driver’s character. I struggle to believe that someone who has spent nearly half his life running from facing his memories would miraculously have the emotional ability to comfort someone else in such a perfect way as Driver does Tam.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the biggest issue I had with Driver and the book as a whole. I’ve mentioned this in other reviews, but there are few things more dissatisfying to me as a romance reader than a past trauma being used as the big reveal toward the end of a story when (a) it doesn’t relate at all to the other character and/or (b) it’s something that has essentially no chance of causing the other character to push away. This dissatisfaction is even worse when the story is told either from a first-person perspective or in the close third-person. Driver’s revelation falls into both of these categories. I simply find it disingenuous—using Driver as an example—that he obsesses so much about the inevitability of his memories forcing him to run away again while he never consciously names the nature of the memory until it becomes useful for a dramatic reveal. Delaying the revelation for 70% of the book served no purpose that I could tell other than drama for drama’s sake, so when the black moment comes shortly thereafter, I was too busy being irritated by how the big reveal fell flat to appreciate what should have been an emotional ending portion of the book.

To put things in perspective, my rating of 3 stars is not a bad thing: it means I liked Brave & Beautiful, but I didn’t love it. I suspect a large number of readers will love the book just as it is. My belief, though, is that if this story had it been constructed differently, it could have been the ideal blend of heartrending and heartwarming in a tale of comfort and love overcoming the fears caused by traumatic past events, one that would have fit the title perfectly. As it is, it just didn’t make it there for me.

The author and/or publisher generously provided me a complimentary copy of Brave & Beautiful in exchange for this fair and honest review.
Brave & Beautiful Music

Like all Sassy Boyz books, Brave & Beautiful features a lot of different music. Because the boyz are dancers, most of the songs have a nice beat. However, since Tam is a choreographer he isn’t limited to the stage like the others. Here are the songs that are featured in Brave & Beautiful.

1. In one of the early scenes we see the group at another audition. They dance to Prince’s Kiss. (embed video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aurWi_zVQK4&t=88s)

2. Here is one of the songs on Jae’s Housewarming Playlist.
(embed video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skOAT87JVbU)

3. The song that changes everything for Tam and Driver, is Arianna’s “Into You”.

(embed video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ekZEVeXwek)

4. One of the only contemporary pieces that Tam dances in to books is to Molly Sandén’s “Freak”. (embed video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMjDne_Z4Gs)

5. Okay, this one isn’t a song the Sassy Boyz use, but it’s playing the first night Tam and Driver go out together. (embed link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRiZRMLGjCY)

6. Britney Spears is a regular artist for the Sassy Boyz, here is one of the songs Tam choreographs in Brave & Beautiful with inspiration from Brian Friedman and Yanis Marshall (as always). (embed video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcPv1QAlDbo)

7. For their audition at Switch, Tam insists on four routines. One of the songs they use is Bonnie McKee’s “Bombastic”. (embed video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYgHiwTxe94)

8. In that same audition is Dorthy’s “Raise Hell”.
(embed video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmYyPcEQKU4)

9. And last, but not least, the final song for that all important Switch audition is Rihanna’s “Sexuality”. (embed video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeyHl7m1_WI)

10. For the final song in the final scene we have Will.I.Am and Britney singing “Scream & Shout”. (embed video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYtGl1dX5qI)



What do you think? Can you see the boyz dancing to these songs? What are some songs you imagine would work for a Sassy Boyz routine? I’m always looking for inspirational songs to include in the books. If I end up using one of your suggestions you could get your name include and a free copy before release, so suggest away!

I hope you enjoyed a look into the music featured in Brave & Beautiful.

As always, I adore you.
Elizabeth
Fierce & Fabulous (Sassy Boyz #1)
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Kim's 4.5 star review & interview with Ansel | Jay's 4 star review


The first book in a scorching new male/male series by Elizabeth Varlet. Behind the Sassy Boyz's seductive smiles and sinful dance moves are desires that will leave readers breathless.

Fitch Donovan never thought a lap dance could change his life, but from the moment the gorgeous dancer’s lips touch his, his world comes screeching to a halt. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t shake the desire that rocks him to his core. He’s longed for this passion all his life—he just never dreamed he’d find it with another man.

Sharing a soul-shaking kiss with a straight boy is the kind of drama Ansel Becke just doesn't need. Spotlights aren't made for two and Ansel prefers to keep things on a one-night-only basis. So when Fitch shows up asking for an encore, Ansel knows he should send his gorgeous ass packing.

Though Ansel tries to pretend that what's between him and Fitch is far from fabulous, there's something about the big, burly contractor that makes Ansel's world sparkle in a way no amount of glitter ever could. And Fitch will do whatever it takes to convince Ansel that when the thing you need most in the world falls right into your lap, you’d be a fool to let it go.



Dark & Dazzling (Sassy Boyz #2)

Azariah “Z” Hayes is a diamond. Equal parts strength and sparkle, he’s more than capable of standing on his own stilettos. So if waiting tables and stripping at The Vibe are what it takes to keep a roof over his head, well, there are worse ways to earn a living.

Connelly is a white knight with a badge…

For NYPD Detective Connelly Reid, to serve and protect is just another day at the office--even if that means protecting himself from his own true desires. He’s been curious about Z, his waiter, for months but it’s not until he sees him in his makeup & heels that the curiosity becomes a fierce attraction. Z, despite all his over-the-top dazzle, might just be the man Connelly has been waiting for his entire life.

But when Connelly investigates underground porn and drug activity with ties to The Vibe, one thing becomes very clear –acting on what he knows will hurt Z, financially and emotionally. And though Connelly would love nothing more than to fix all of Z’s problems, no amount of mind-blowing sex can make Z comfortable becoming dependent on his lover. Yet if there’s one thing Connelly knows from his years on the force, it's this: when things go bad, you need a trusted partner to have your back.


Elizabeth Varlet

Elizabeth Varlet is a thirty-something, newly-married, world-traveler who devours books like they were candy. A nerd at heart, she spends way too many hours binging on episodes of her favorite television shows and dreaming of the day she can adopt a dog—whom she’s already named.

She started writing stories in high school and hasn’t stopped. Now, her characters like to get frisky under the covers. Or the stars, or in a car, or up against the wall—they’re not picky.

Elizabeth believes in love of all shapes and sizes and wants nothing more than to share the beauty in the form of stories.

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Two free copies of the book and two swag bags with Sassy Boyz goodies. 

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1 comments

  1. There's some really good songs on this playlist. I'm really bad at picking out songs for things but I always like slow, sensual songs that turn up the heat between two people.

    ReplyDelete