Terrible Beauty

Molotov Betrothal, Book 1

By: Anna Zaires

Narrated by: C. J. Bloom

Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

A family contract. A dark bargain. No escape.

Eleven years ago, I met him. A year later, I was betrothed to him. Now he’s come to claim me, slaughtering anyone standing in his way.

My husband-to-be is a monster from a family as ruthless and powerful as mine, a man who deals in violence and destruction...a man terrifyingly like my father. For more than a decade, he’s stalked me, shadowing my life.

I fear him. I hate him. Worst of all, I want him.

My name is Alina Molotova, and Alexei Leonov is a fate I can’t escape.

©2022 Anna Zaires (P)2022 Anna Zaires

i am completely hooked!

I love how she merged the past and current present love, love, love the narrator.

Just wow🔥💥☄️🔥

Anna Zaires has done it again. She never disappoint
This book is just wow 🤩 I. I can’t wait for the next one.

Just okay

I honestly think Terrible Beauty read like a prequel. I was hoping it would pick up from where Alina was taken and move forward, but instead had a lot of past and present. I love C.J. as the narrator but I’m hoping AZ makes it a dual narration for book 2 or whatever she has planned for Alina’s story.

A dark and oh so sensual listen!

It feels like I’ve been waiting for Alina & Alexei’s story for a long time and it’s definitely worth the wait. I love their story. It’s dark but oh so sensual. Told in alternating timelines between the past and present, we get their story from the beginning and can see how the past catches up to the future.

CJ Bloom did a wonderful job narrating this book solo. Her tone and pacing was easy to listen to and each of the main characters’ voices were distinct enough that I didn’t have any problems following who was speaking.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Good story and I’ve been waiting for more of the Molotov’s! I didn’t care for the constant past to present and back. But each was a point of reference to their decade long dance. Alexei is so freaking intense and I cannot wait for book two!
Enjoyed the narrator.

well that was a cold ending

I hope the author has another book about the Molotov siblings to explain the rest of this story.

Twisted Dark Romance

Alina and Alexei have won my heart! Wow! Their story was a page turner and I couldn’t put it down! Their twisted romance was intense. The back and forth between the past and present really helped set up why Alina ran away and hid with Nikolai. Alina’s fear of ending up in a toxic obsessive marriage like her parent’s marriage was so strong it caused her severe anxiety. Alexei was completely obsessed with Alina from the first moment he saw her so he pushed his way into her life and tortured her with his intense stalker tendencies. Alexei and Alina gave me Twist Me vibes. CJ Bloom solo narrates this story as Alina Molotova. She does a great job bringing Alina to life. CJ Bloom captures Alina’s fear, anxiety and slowing growing infatuation with Alexei, even though she denies it. I absolutely loved this story and I can’t wait to find out what happens next with their twisted dark romance.

A great start ...

but, her reluctant behavior is grating on my nerves. I hope she gets less irritating. I love the premise but her whoa is me attitude is getting to be a bit much.

A great story of cat and mouse

This was a great story but there wasn’t enough development in the present day. I suppose they both get their happy ending but I wanted to experience that in the story at the end. Please let there be a follow up story of them!

Not sure how to feel!

On the one hand, Anna’s writing is fabulous, as always! And CJ Bloom always wows with her narration.

That said, I’m not a huge fan of the back and forth between then and now with the chapters. I understand why she did this, however, and we definitely have a much better understanding of Alina and Alexi’s long and complex relationship.

I also don’t like that we are really only a few days past where the Molotov Obsession ended. I really wanted to be further along in the timeline. I understand that there is a lot of story to tell with these characters, but now I have to wait for the next book(s) to see how it all plays out.

With all that in mind, YES it’s worth a credit and I CANNOT WAIT for the next installment!