WELCOMING THE BAD BOY by Annie Rains: Review

Welcoming the Bad Boy by Annie Rains
Series: Hero's Welcome #3
Published by Loveswept
Publication Date: August 2nd 2016
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 279
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC
Goodreads
Buy Online: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ Kobo

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.

From the author of Welcome to Forever (“Full of heart and emotion!”—Lori Wilde) comes a sweet, sexy novel about breaking all the rules. In Seaside, North Carolina, the boys on the base are heroes—but that doesn’t mean they’re always well-behaved.

As a preacher’s daughter, Valerie Hunt only dates the very respectable, very boring men who meet her father’s strict standards. In private, however, she leads a double life as a romance writer of steamy stories about the least respectable sorts of men. Valerie has always kept her hottest fantasies separate from her real life, but when she nearly runs a hot-blooded biker off the road, the lines begin to blur.

Even though Valerie almost killed him, Griffin Black can’t be angry after he learns the reason for her distracted driving: an unruly puppy belonging to her ailing friend. As a member of the military police K-9 unit, Griffin insists on training the dog himself. But he soon wonders how he’s ever going to stay disciplined around the most alluring, down-to-earth, and totally unattainable woman he’s ever met. Valerie is the ultimate good girl. And Griffin is going to need all his old tricks to unleash her wild side.

 

Review

I started reading this series from the final book and it was a little hard to connect with the characters, but I totally loved this installment. What can be more fun that sparks flying between a tattooed, bike-riding bad boy and a preacher’s daughter? This story was so good it left me smiling a lot.

Valerie Hunt chaffs at the restrictions her being the town preacher’s daughter have placed on her. She’s expected to be a good example to others and date only respectable men. Only, she is itching to let her wild side out and her outlet is her secret life as a steamy romance writer. While it’s not enough, she has a handle on it, until the day she meets MP Griffin Black. With his tattoos, his bike and his leather outfits, Griffin fits the picture of a rebel, the kind of man Val should stay away from because her father would disapprove. Except he is more than that.

Griffin is a hard-working officer dedicated to his job and also to his mother who he moved to a nearby facility after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, to be closer to her. And he has awakened Val’s rebellious streak in ways that need more of an outlet than her writing. A summer fling is the perfect way to deal with the attraction between them and for Val, an added benefit is that he serves as motivation for her new book. But what happens at the end of the summer when both of them want more?

The appeal of this story for me lies in the way Ms. Rains captures life in a small town in such an apt way, particularly other people’s expectations and perceptions. As a preacher’s daughter, Val was pigeon-holed into a role that smothered her even as she tried to live up to expectations and earn her father’s approval. One glance at Griffin’s bike and tattoos was enough for him to be judged as a bad boy, even without getting to know him. The only place they found unconditional acceptance was in the nursing home, which was its own kind of social gathering. 

WELCOMING THE BAD BOY is a lighthearted and fun story with moments of deep emotions and I really enjoyed it. Griffin’s quest to make up for his past was very touching and the evolution of his relationship with Val was enjoyable even if sometimes annoying. I really had a fun time reading this book and will definitely recommend it, even as a stand-alone. 

 

 

 

Related Posts