Five Reasons Women Love Bad Boys
By Jessica Lemmon
Oh, the bad boy. Who doesn’t love a guy in black leather, with a wicked curve to his smile, and a gleam in his eye that says, “Come on, baby, let’s get into trouble.”?
I never knew I was the bad boy type…until I started writing them. Now I can’t get enough. What’s beautiful about bad boys is there is a wide range. From down and dirty to hard and gritty to the kind of bad boy I love to write the most: the sweet heat.
You know the type. The kind of guy who is a good family man at heart, but won’t hesitate to toss his woman over his knee. The man who is loyal to his friends, but still takes physical risks that put him in danger. From billionaires, to ex-military landscapers, to rock stars, I’ve written many, many bad boys. And I’m not stopping any time soon.
Here are my top five reasons women like you (and me!) love bad boys. I’ve also included a few of my bad boys as recommendations. Which one is for you?
- Bad Boys know who they are. They may be jerks, but they know they are and aren’t afraid to be that way. The key to any successful pairing with a bad boy is to find a heroine who challenges him. Bad boys don’t shy away from challenge. They take it on.
See: Fighting for Devlin
- Bad Boys are confident in the sack. Because they have had so much *ahem* experience in the bedroom, the woman who lands a bad boy is going to find he’s pretty darn good at what he does in there. He knows how to please her, and because of a stubborn streak a mile wide, he’s not going to stop until he does.
See: Bringing Home the Bad Boy
- Bad Boys are unpredictable. The girl of his dreams probably dated some schmoe before she dated him, and that guy likely ironed his socks. Meanwhile, her new bad boy beau is telling her to pack a bag because he has a surprise for her, and he’s not going to tell her what it is.
See: A Bad Boy for Christmas
- Bad Boys are loyal. He won’t abandon his true friends, or a family that’s done him right. While bad boys often run from what’s hurting them, they still have a network of friends they will never cut out of their lives.
See: Rescuing the Bad Boy
- Bad Boys love endlessly. Once you win a bad boy’s heart, he’s not going anywhere. He values the love of a good woman the way he values a shot of the best whiskey: through to his soul. Bag one of these boys and you’ll experience a lifetime of love and loyalty, and a healthy dose of toe-curling unpredictability.
See: Return of the Bad Boy
Another second chance romance–yay!
Asher’s decided to calm down his rock star lifestyle–mainly because of the three-year-old son he recently discovered he had (one night stand with a groupie, ugh–but hey, the kid’s adorable at least) and has bought a lake house in Evergreen Cove so that he can be near Hawk. He’s trying to pull himself together for his son, and battling Hawk’s mother (and grandmother) for the right to see his son more. It just so happens that Gloria, his agent and sometime-lover has recently moved to town too, though she’s been avoiding him pretty studiously.
Until the start of the book, that is, when Glo decides to suck it up deliver a mis-delivered check to her client. And then watch out…
I enjoyed watching Ash become the kind of guy his son could look up to some day, just as much as I enjoyed watching him pursue Gloria for all he was worth. Man, did the guy have it bad, and it made for some cute moments, like this one:
So, in a way he lied to Even when he said he wasn’t going to take advantage of her in her passed-out state. He was going to cuddle with her, and he was going to cuddle hard.
Seriously, too adorable.
Unfortunately for Ash, he is reduced to such subterfuge quite a bit, because Gloria’s got some major issues when it comes to families and commitments. Not only does she (try to) resist Ash for all she’s worth for a good chunk of the book, she’s also convinced that her less-than-stellar experiences with family will be a liability when it comes to Ash trying to create one with his son. Honestly, her nearly neurotic hesitance over these issues got to be a bit much after a while, though Ms. Lemmon does make a convincing argument for why she’s like that. (It’s still frustrating to read, though.)
But then Ash spends some more time with Hawk, and the cuteness makes up for so much. Not to mention the humor. This is Ash, after spending an exhausting day on the lake with his son, one of the first times he’s had him without Hawk’s mother and grandmother watching his every move:
Things had been less like the music video he’d directed in his head and more like a nightmare on the open water.
LOL! Obviously, spending time with three-year-olds was not something the rock star had a lot of experience with…yet.
If you’ve seen Ash and Glo as secondary characters in other series books, watching them find their HEA will be particularly satisfying, I imagine. Even if you haven’t, though, it’s quite a ride–and the ending? Will give you all the feels 🙂
Return of the Bad Boy is the fourth in the series, and the couples from #1-3 all show up in this one quite a bit. I managed okay not having read the other three (yet!), though at times I did feel a bit out of the loop–not enough to dim my enjoyment of Ash and Gloria’s story, though.
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she’s not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips.She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.
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He’s a mess…Asher Knight has three constants in his life: music, beautiful women, and a bottle of Jack. He lives for the next gig, the next city, and dreams only of a life spent in front of an arena full of screaming fans. But Asher’s nomad ways come to a sudden stop when he learns he’s the father of a three-year-old from a past relationship and suddenly this rock star bad boy is forced to put down roots.
Only she can clean up
Gloria Shields is no one’s fool. Sure, the sexual chemistry between her and Asher has always been intense, but she’d never risk giving her heart to a man who has a perfect record for breaking them. Except the man desperate to make things right with his newfound son is nothing like the rock god she’s guarded her heart against for years. And it isn’t long before she starts to wonder if life with this bad boy might be the best thing that’s ever happened to her.
Thank you for sharing your lovely review!
This was a great second chance at love book!
Happy to! 🙂
I agree! 🙂