Filthy Beautiful Forever by Kendall Ryan | Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5)

Nothing says winter weekends like a glass of wine, a little makeup stalking, and a Kendall Ryan novel before embarking on late nights out with friends. I've binged the entirety of Kendall Ryan's blissfully addictive Filthy Beautiful Lies series over the last week. I'm fairly certain my friends are fed up with me babbling about the couples featured in the series--along with her Forbidden Desires lineup--but they're just so damn good. Truly, I'm flustered thinking about all the love and lust and smart-mouthed alphas in these books.

What a conclusion! While Filthy Beautiful Forever is, perhaps, my least favourite installment in the series, it is still intoxicating. There's this bubbly feeling one gets after reading a book by Kendall Ryan and this is no different. As it happens, I think my favourite of the Drake Brother's significant others is Mia--hell, I'd have probably proposed to her as a child, too.

Watch out, Collins. I'm here for your girl. I'm kidding. Mostly. But, for the record, I am positive that Mia is my favourite Ryan heroine and there's just so many good things to say about her. I really loved Collins, too, but Mia is my #1!




I loved the general premise for Filthy Beautiful Forever. It had a different vibe to it when compared to the previous three novels and I don't just mean the changing of characters. What I mean to say is, there's a sweetness to its flow that can only come from the inclusion of old friends or childhood sweet-hearts. In the case of Mia and Collins, it's both. I'm a sucker for a friend-to-lover story, but I'm an even bigger sucker for full-on childhood sweethearts.

What strikes me in particular about Mia and Collins is not merely their present day connection and sexual tension, but for the unique bond they share. They were each other's firsts and there's some-thing stunning in that regard. Sometimes, we find our ways back to the first person we've ever loved and it's like no time has passed. Suddenly, you and the world have changed--but the love you share, hasn't.

I definitely appreciated the innocence that contrasts against the adult parts of this book. As per usual, Kendall's characters share a sizzling sort of chemistry that makes you want to make sure you book hasn't caught on fire. But, the flickering back to the past--first loves, a proposal between two young kids, first sexual encounter--is what makes the novel so much more than you'd ever imagined. There is a huge bond between Mia and Collins and it you find yourself saying, "ABOUT DAMN TIME."

Another thing I appreciated about the book was that we continued to see the relationships between the drop-dead-gorgeous Drake siblings. Can I have one of each? They're just so swoon-worthy, I feel weak in the knees. Phew. And then there was a budding friendship between Sophie, Kylie and Mia. I liked that there was a balance between love of family, love of friends, and soul-mates.

As a whole, the three couples fit together beautifully. I only wish that the ending didn't feel so rushed. I would have loved to see the three of the ladies as their lives progressed! You just get easily attached, you know? I adored that we got a happily ever after, and definitely don't hold this next part against the novel, but I wish there could have been more of the afters in the case of these two.

(I'm getting greedy.)

Overall, Filthy Beautiful Forever is so much more than filthy and beautiful. Ryan always packs a punch with her emotionally tense cast of characters and frenetic desire. In the case of Collins and Mia, there are moments when you can literally feel the way they kiss one another decades deep. There's something so satisfying about their relationship and I really, really enjoyed seeing them as they grew.