Bad for You (Dirty Deeds, #3) by J. Daniels Series: Dirty Deeds #3
Published by Forever on January 23rd 2018
Pages: 360
Format: ARC
Genres: Romance
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Shayla Perkins isn’t the kind of girl who makes the same mistake twice, especially when it comes to Sean “Stitch” Molina. So when he gives her the world’s biggest rejection, that’s it—she’s done. Until the sexy, silent, unavailable Sean makes Shay a very personal offer. Of course, it still doesn’t mean he’s interested in her. Or does it?
Sean has done things in life. Bad things. And he’s paid the price. All he wants now is to make up for his past by doing good in the present. And no one deserves more good than Shay. Beautiful on the inside and out, Shay is the kind of woman who should be cared for and protected—especially from a man like Sean. He’s tried to keep his feelings for her in check, but a single, reckless impulse pulls them closer than ever before.
Soon the two are sharing their biggest dreams and satisfying their deepest desires. But what will happen if the only way to truly give one another want they want most . . . is to let each other go?
Bad for You is the third standalone in the Dirty Deeds series. I enjoyed the first book; the second one not as much. Well, J. Daniels needs to stand up and take a bow because she has outdone herself with this book. Bad For You is chock full of soul and feels upon feels.
Sean is the very essence of a wounded hero. His past is horrific and has left him with lasting scars and a deep sense of shame over the mistakes he’s made. He is determined to start over with a steady job as a cook, but he lacks faith in himself. I have never come across a hero so downtrodden and oozing such self-loathing.
Shay, by contrast, is a bubbly and optimistic chatterbox. She is able to look past Sean’s silent and brooding exterior and see the good man he truly is. Shay’s fierce protectiveness of him made me want to stand up and cheer. The way Shay’s light infiltrates Sean’s darkness throughout their friendship is incredibly touching. I’m a sucker for a slow burn, and their romance builds at a believably leisurely rate and then catches fire.
Now here’s the bad news. I have the same issue with the writing of Sean’s character as I did with Jamie in the previous book. I know he comes from a tough background, and clearly the author intended for Sean to act and speak a certain way. Still, I didn’t like that he drops the f-bomb and the s-word almost every time he opens his mouth. It’s a bit much. And what’s up with all the meetin’, knowin’, gettin’, puttin’, and overall lack of pronoun usage? This is a case of reader preference, but I think they are unnecessary distractions in an otherwise lovely story.
Bad for You is emotional, inspiring, and heartwarming—not to mention fun and sexy. Winning!
Recommended for fans of:
Diners
Beach towns
Tattoos
Pink
**ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
About J. Daniels
J. Daniels is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Alabama Summer, Dirty Deeds and Sweet Addiction series.
Best known for her sexy, small-town romances, her debut novel, Sweet Addiction, was first published in 2014 and went on to become an international bestseller. Since then, she has published more than ten novels, including the Dirty Deeds series with Forever Romance.
Daniels grew up in Baltimore and currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two kids. A former full-time Radiologic Technologist, she began writing romance after college and quickly discovered a passion for it. You’ll still catch her in scrubs every now and then, but most of her time is spent writing these days—a career she is eternally grateful for.
Always an avid reader, Daniels enjoys books of all kinds, but favors Romance (of course) and Fantasy. She loves hiking, traveling, going to the mountains for the weekend, and spending time with her family.
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