"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet, sexy romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

Before Ben was a super good story. I really enjoyed the romance and the writing was exceptional as always by Ms. Eden. Highly recommend.

Ben and Courtney's story. Wasn't sure what to expect, as it started out as just sexual tension, but what I got was a whole lot more. A lot of action and fast paced plot, that kept my attention throughout. Highly recommend this quick read by a great author. Hard to put this one down.

I read everything Cynthia Eden writes, so I was excited to learn she has a new book out. BEFORE BEN is a fast paced story with suspense and romance. The two main characters, Ben and Courtney are both successful attorneys and easy to relate to and connect with. They had very different childhoods. Ben was lucky and grew up with wealth and privilege. On the other hand, Courtney grew up in foster care and has never had a anyone to depend on, except herself. Ben and Courtney starting debating with each other in law school and now they continue to spar whenever they meet in court as attorneys.

Everything changes when Ben discovers someone is after Courtney. Now that Ben has a chance to help Courtney, he grabs it. Ben has always admired Courtney and as they spend more time together, his feelings deepen and he will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. However, Ben isn’t sure how to show Courtney that she can let down her guard and trust him with her feelings. Courtney is scared and has no idea why someone is targeting her. She is thankful Ben is there to help her. This is another intriguing story in the Wilde Ways series.

Absolutely Spectacular .
I volunteered to read and review an advanced readers copy thru Netgallery of Before Ben . I really enjoyed reading this story . It's fantastic . Not only is this a hot and steamy romance . It's also an action packed Suspense . Courtney McKenna and Ben Wilde are both attorneys sparks fly between them all the time between them and during their court cases . Ben has always wanted Courtney since way back in law school . Courtney always thought he was a flirt and a ladies man . She never took his flirting with her serious . When Courtney runs into danger Been comes to her rescue . Danger keeps coming her way and Ben and Courtney's passion for each other brings them closer . With the help of Wilde Securities Ben's brothers Security business . They search for answers who is after Courtney and why . While the story unfolds it's one rollercoaster of a ride . It's packed with suspense , love , lust secrets , danger and revenge the whole nine yards .
The characters are wonderful . The story is well written and you'll find yourself pulled in from the beginning . I highly recommend reading . A definite 5 star read .

BEFORE BEN is the third book in Cynthia Eden's Wilde Ways romantic suspense series. Although some of the same characters show up in each book in this series, each installment works as a standalone story with a different hero and heroine in each. Each book in this series also takes a classic trope and puts a Cynthia Eden romantic suspense spin on it. In BEFORE BEN, this story starts out like a classic "enemies-to-lovers" story, but quickly takes a different turn. Courtney McKenna and Ben Wilde are both divorce attorneys who battle each other in court. Courtney has always believed that Ben dislikes her and vice versa. Ben has always harbored a secret attraction for Courtney. Courtney, blissfully unaware of Ben's true feelings, has always put an emotional distance between herself and any men she's dated. Over the course of the book, Ben convinces Courtney that the image she has of him is wrong and his feelings for her are deeper than she would've ever guessed.

Ben Wilde is a good brother, good best friend, and good at his career. One thing Ben has never been good at is creating a favorable impression on fellow attorney Courtney McKenna. In the opening scene with Ben trying to hit on Courtney, I was as unamused by his display as she was and didn't think I would like him. I'm glad Cynthia Eden tells this story from alternating perspectives. Ben and Courtney keep their true feelings hidden from most people. Their relationship evolves as the story progresses and the trust between them increases. It's not far into the story before Courtney becomes a woman in danger and Ben takes on the role of protector -- whether Courtney wants him to be or not. As with most Cynthia Eden suspense novels, the identity of the true villain isn't revealed until near the end. Readers and the good guys are kept on the edge until the people pulling the strings behind the scenes reveal themselves. Ben grew on me throughout this book and by the end, I really was rooting for him and Courtney.

BEFORE BEN has an unlikely knight in shining armor and plenty of adrenaline-fueled action and passion to satisfy romance fans. After showing up in the previous books in this series, I hope to read more about Agent Julia Slate her partner Rick Williams. I'm also really hoping that that the ever- determined Detective Layla Lopez gets a book of her own too.

Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy for an honest review. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, Cynthia Eden hits it out of the park. Seriously, her books are hot, hot, hot with a dash of mystery. Ben who we met in Protecting Piper is a gorgeous hot lawyer who has always had the hots for fellow attorney Courtney whom he met in law school. Courtney has pretty much raised herself after her mothers death and fathers abandonment. A child of the foster system has struggled to support herself and put herself threw college and law school. Now all grown up and leaving a bar, she is attacked....Ben is around and takes her home and things get hot from there. While she is trying to figure out who is behind this attack, she finds out Ben owns her building all because he is obsessed with her (kind of creepy) but overall I loved these characters.

BEFORE BEN is the third instalment in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary, adult WILDE WAYS romantic, suspense series focusing on the men and women who own and work for Wilde Securities. This is divorce attorneys Ben Wilde, and Courtney McKenna’s story line. BEFORE BEN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.

Told from several third person perspectives including Ben and Courtney BEFORE BEN follows then frenemies to lovers relationship between former law school classmates, and divorce attorneys Ben Wilde, and Courtney McKenna. Ben has never stopped lusting after our story line heroine but when a series of break-ins and threats force Courtney to look for help Ben immediately add protector and guardian to his list of things for Courtney McKenna. Hiring his brother’s firm Wilde Security means keeping a closer eye on the woman he has always loved, a woman whose life is in danger from an unknown source. What ensues is the building relationship, friendship and love between Courtney and Ben, and the potential fall-out as more than one person is desperate to reach our story line heroine.

Courtney McKenna grew up in the foster care system having always had to look after herself but Ben’s years of persistence finally push our heroine over the edge as she relents to a one-time only fling that turns into something more when Ben insists on twenty four hour protection, in his bed and by his side. Ben Wilde has tried to years to seduce Courtney McKenna but Courtney only saw a desperate man trying to get into her pants. When her life is threatened on more than one occasion, Courtney struggles behind head and heart knowing Ben’s life is on the line when the fall-out aims in his direction.

The relationship between Ben and Courtney is a frenemies to lovers. Ben has never stopped loving Courtney from the moment he saw her at law school, but Courtney’s attraction is just as strong, although she refuses to admit to her longing and need. Staying with Ben brings Courtney face to face with her future, a future that is threatened by more than one unknown. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and spirited secondary and supporting characters including Eric and Piper (Protecting Piper #1), Simon and Gwen (Guarding Gwen #2), Wilde Securities VP and ex-SEAL Simon Forrest; security specialists Julia Slate and Rick Williams; defense attorney Kendrick Shaw,
Eric’s assistant Dennis; Courtney’s neighbour Cole Trevor; divorce applicants Hayden and Kadi Laslow; mob boss Julian Rossi; and legal secretary Sharon Long. The requisite evil has many faces.

BEFORE BEN is a story of intrigue, revenge, secrets and lies, family and love. The premise is engaging and captivating; the characters are intelligent, lively and dynamic; the romance is seductive and edgy. BEFORE BEN is an energetic, inviting and thrilling addition to Cynthia Eden’s WILDE WAYS.

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Before Ben by Cynthia Eden is book Three in the Wilde Ways Series. This is the story of Ben Wilde and Courtney McKenna. I have read the previous books (and Loved them!) but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Ben and Courtney have know each other since law school and always seem to be on the opposite sides fighting in the courtroom. Courtney has always been attracted to Ben but has put him in the enemies category and shoots him down each time he tries to make things more personal. Ben has always been attracted to Courtney and I thought really wanted more but he can't move past her attitude of boxing him in the enemy category. But when they give in to their hot emotions it makes Ben just want more. Courtney thought 'one and done' would get him out of her system but it has just added to her want. But someone is out for Courtney putting her in danger making Ben step up to take charge.
Such a fan of Ms. Eden's writing, you always he a hot exciting pager turner story I feel.

There is just something about these Wilde men, Lol. Ben Wilde is so intense in this book with his heroine, Courtney, They have known each other through college and law school and have been adversaries in court. However, the sizzling attraction that has been simmering all these years, finally comes to a boil and Courtney decides to do something about it, even with her reservations. She believes him to be a playboy and he believes that she hates him. Lol. Once Ben finally has a taste of Courtney, he is not letting her go. In the midst of their in-depth attraction, Courtney's life is threatened and that's when Ben becomes enraged with protecting and standing between whoever wants to hurt his Court (his nickname for her). Filled with action, suspense, alpha-maleness, hot sex and a fierce heroine is a recipe for another HEA within Ms. Eden's world. I truly enjoyed this one and am very happy Ben got his story. He totally rocked it!
Kudos for the the little extra snippet at the end of Piper and Eric with a special surprise! 4.5 stars

****I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book provided by NetGalley.******

3 1/2 stars

Before Ben was not my favorite Cynthia Eden book. It was good, it just didn’t hold my attention like some of her other work.

Ben and Courtney are both attorneys and rivals in the courtroom. Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope, and together they make a good couple. I am excited for the next book in the series.

I can’t give thanks enough for giving me this opportunity to read this book.

The suspense and romance was amazing! Ben and Courtney were amazing couple! The banter, their chemistry was on point! This author will never disappoint me!
You have a true fan in me Ms Eden!

4.5 - "You were more than worth the wait." Stars!

Ben Wilde has had several roles in the previous books in this series, best-friend and brother namely. In Before Ben he becomes bad-ass boyfriend.

Courtney McKenna has always been the one woman that doesn't fall charms. Over the years their rivalry in the courtroom has been fierce, and a refusal to date him outside of it firm, mainly because she thinks his requests are in jest, and that he is just doing it to make a fool of her. Little does she know that Ben has been looking out for her behind her back since their college days.

Her enemy.
Her protector.
Her friend.
Her lover.
And… the man she very much feared…
She might love.

What starts out as a suspected random attempt to take her purse in a deserted parking garage quickly morphs into a living nightmare for Courtney, with an unknown threat stalking her, breaking into her apartment, and trying to capture her Courtney doesn’t know where to turn, but Ben having a hand in staving off the initial attacker immediately goes into uber protective alpha mode as soon as he sees that it may not have been as random as was initially thought.

Everywhere she turned, it seemed like she was facing some kind of lie or betrayal…

Ben having a brother who is a security expect doesn’t hurt, and soon Courtney is being watched and protected morning, noon and night. But the threat level increases and as the players are discovered the crazier the roller-coaster of a story-line gets.

"What is it with you Wilde boys..?"

The last 25% of this book really kept me on my toes with the twists and turns coming almost every other paragraph, but that is what I have come to expect from this author especially when she’s on form and writing Romantic Suspense is definitely one of her strongest genres. Three notable new characters in this one as well; Layla Lopez (not new, but a regular secondary character and someone who I think the author needs to give a story too), Cole Vincent (all sorts of intriguing and definitely looking to redeem himself), & Kendrick Shaw a lawyer who defends the bad-guys, as soon as he was introduced I wanted to know more about him.

So as you can tell this series definitely has more to come with a lot of secondary characters looking like it might be worth being bought to the fore for their own stories, and with Bodyguard; Julia Slate due to have her story told next in; The Heart You Break I can see the Wilde Ways series running for a little while longer yet!

Ben and Courtney have been attracted to each other since they attended law school together. Ben's cocky attitude has always rubbed Courtney the wrong way but she's lusted after him for years. Ben wanted Courtney from the first time he saw her but her constant refusal to date him and his playboy reputation has made that impossible. So he enjoys sparring across the courtroom with her when they are on opposite sides of a case. Now someone is stalking Courtney and Ben wants to protect her. The twists in the story kept me guessing until the end. Lots of suspense, action, and red hot romance make this novel an excellent read.

Cynthia Eden’s Before Ben is the HEA of a character that had a major supporting role in the first book of the Wilde Series. Attorney Ben Wilde is Piper’s best friend and brother to Eric from Protecting Piper. Each book in this series is a stand-alone with a very different scenario for each couple. I fell for Ben in the first book so I was thrilled for him to get his complete story now.

This story is an “enemies to lovers” but it is even more a story of learning to trust enough to give your heart away. Courtney McKenna has as big of a trust issue as she thinks Ben has ego. Ben for his part show his true alpha tendencies to protect those he loves; not nearly as different from Eric as he first seemed. Their romance is sizzling no matter if unsettled between them for most of the story.

While all of Ms. Eden’s romantic suspense books have twisted menacing villains this one has one of the most devious in the series so far. The alarming turns in the story do not stop until nearly the very end of the book. Just when I thought I had everything figured out one more detail was revealed. Quite the page-turner.

Oh my gawd! This author is totally killing it with this series! And holy geez! This one is just as good if not better than the previous books! After all, when they’re all freaking amazing, it’s hard to determine which is the best.

Ben and Courtney have known each other since their first year of law school. And from pretty much the first moment, their relationship has been that of enemies. As fierce competitors, they waged battle in the classroom and now they continue to do so in the courtroom. Even so, Ben has been relentless in his pursuit of her. Courtney, despite her attraction to him, has had no issue of turning him down each of the numerous times he’s propositioned her. Until a “swipe right” turns into a no show and Ben is in the right place at the right time.

Ben has been watching Courtney for years. He can recall every single thing about the first moment he saw her. Her fierce determination to be the best only called forth his own need to be the best man he could be. She isn’t aware that their arguments and banter only makes him want her more. And he can’t count how many times he’s asked her out only to be shot down. But he will never stop trying. When he finally gets an in, he’s taking it and he’s not letting go.

”A rough, possessive edge had entered his voice. Her gaze flew to him just as he bent down and picked up – yep, her panties.
His fingers curled around them. “I get that you think I’m a playboy.”
“Um, aren’t you?”
His head tilted back. “Let’s be very clear. I am not playing with you.”
The heartbeat that had just calmed down suddenly sped right back up. “Then what are you doing?”
“Wanting you more than I’ve ever wanted another woman.”

This book was freaking amazing! I absolutely LOVED the way Ben was one hundred percent determined to keep Courtney and when the need arose, to protect her. He might not be the intense brother, as he has always been laid back, fun and playful, but when he learns someone is stalking her, his protective instincts rise up and he’s more than capable and willing to do what is necessary to keep her safe.

”Like the rest of the world, he saw what Ben wanted him to see. The image he presented to the world.
Good guy, my a$$.
He could fight dirty. He could play hard. He could be the sonofab!tch you never wanted to face in the dark.”

I’m usually all about the hero, but with this series, I’ve found that the prefect heroine has become an expectation and Courtney more than met mine. She’s feisty and independent, fierce but sweet and caring, and more than capable of kicking tail but never harsh with a tough exterior.

I can’t gush enough about how much I loved this couple as both individuals and as a couple. Their past was rife with the enemies vibe, but beneath it was an attraction that when given a chance flamed into a consuming fire. The danger and conflict they face served to highlight their own strengths and weaknesses and gives the reader the opportunity to see more of what makes each of them click alone and together. And oh my gosh…the twists are everywhere and you will NEVER guess as to how this all plays out.

I can’t recommend this book or this series enough!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and Hocus Pocus Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Hocus Pocus Publishing for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I am going to be up front and say that Cynthia Eden is one of my go to authors. That being said not every book is perfect. While I liked the book for some of the chemistry and suspense, I didn't like Ben's anger issues. He needed to reign that in, He has anger issues! How can he be an effective lawyer? I still liked the book, I just cringed when Ben got his anger on. This book is part of a series, and while the other characters are in it, it reads well as a stand alone. I rate this a 3.5.

You would think the two leads, who just so happen to be lawyers, romance will lean more towards the mature side of love but page after page I felt like I was reading about a immature and over the top story mostly containing Ben having a pissing match against every male that had ever had an encounter with Courtney. It was such a turn off with the constant jealousy, fast paced romance, and the way too eventful storyline. I really wanted to like this but it wasn't cutting it for me.

Perfect!

What an amazing story! Ben and Courtney have a fast paced and action filled plot with a beautiful love story woven in. I couldn't read it fast enough!

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

I have loved all of Cynthia Eden's, books. Before Ben, is no exception. The romance is spot on and the suspense part of it kept me guessing.