Kristie J’s review of Bad Boyfriend (Eden Series, Book 1) by Julie Kriss
Contemporary Romance published by Five Doors Creative 2 Apr 16
I do believe I’m inhaling this author’s books. You are probably thinking, “Enough, Kristie! Move on to another author!”
Well, I would if I could, but whenever I go to start a new book, Ms. Kriss calls me back. And what can I say about this one? I can say it’s another book I loved.
Dean Madden and Holly Carsleigh have known each other for years. Dean and Holly’s older brothers are best friends, a fact that surprises the whole town. Jason is the golden boy, loved by everyone, and Dean is his exact opposite. He’s the wild one who grew up in foster care until he was finally adopted later in life. He’s learned to keep everything inside. He’s the kind of guy who does hook-ups, not relationships. But over the years Holly has had kind of an unrequited, unvoiced crush on him. He’s been good to her over those years. After high school both Dean and Jason signed up for the Marines and the book opens when their tour of duty is over and they’ve both come home and Holly and Dean are in the same orbit again. Now that she’s a lot more grown up, she recognizes that she has a real case for Dean, but he’s still more of the hook-up kind who has never gone out with the same girl more than three times. So Holly challenges him that they be a couple for a month. They have to keep it from Jason, though, because he would freak if he were to find out what his best friend and his little sister are up to.
The book is so sweet as Dean slowly starts to open up to Holly and let her see some of his inner demons. While, yes, he could be called dirty, he’s also sensitive and very unsure of himself. He doesn’t let anyone close to him other than Jason, more for protection. If he doesn’t let anyone in, they can’t reject him. But Holly has no plans on rejecting him and her crush turns to love.
It’s a simple sounding story, but it’s written by a master story teller and it becomes much more. There is a lot more to Dean and it’s so easy to fall for him. And Holly is the perfect heroine for him. She’s always seen beneath the mask. I like that they have history so that when things turn hot between them, and hot they do turn, they already know and trust each other.
I read another series by this author, then kind of lost track. I’m ever so glad she came back on my radar.
Grade: B+
Summary:
No family. No filter. No morals. Meet my boyfriend.
Holly
Everyone knows Dean Madden. He’s a bad boy – and my older brother’s best friend. The guy you’d never bring home to your parents. His looks are pure sex, and the only fun he knows how to have is the filthy kind.
No one in their right mind thinks I should date him. But now I’ve grown up – and everything has changed. I want him, even if it’s just for a little while. Until I can’t let him go.
Dean
I’m not that guy – the relationship guy. I’m the one-and-done guy, or so everyone says. But when Holly bets me she can date me for four weeks, I’m not going to say no. She’s grown up gorgeous – and now I’ve got my chance.
I don’t deserve her. It can’t get serious, because there are things she doesn’t know about me. But until it falls to pieces, I can give her the wildest, hottest four weeks of her life….
No excerpt available.
Other books in this series:
