Synopsis:
Nothing good came from listening to my heart.
It was careless and irrational and became way too invested when I read a romance novel.
So I put her under lock and key.
I only had a few rules, and I always stuck with them.
1. Never get attached.
2. Always run before the feels become contagious.
3. No matter what, under no circumstances, never fall in love.
He was a playboy who ran by the same set of rules. What we had together was fun, it was hot, and it was temporary.
Until he screwed everything up.
We were never meant to be each other’s happily ever after, but the harder I tried to push him away, the further I fell.
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tropes:
- Best Friend’s Brother
- Friends To Lovers
- Boss’s Best Friend
It seems to be a common theme recently to read books of a series, I haven’t particularly enjoyed, but they’re on my TBR, so I’m determined to have them ticked off.
I read the first book of the series Where Bad Girls Go To Fall back in March, after seeing a TikTok teaser. I was left disappointed after reading it, which had me reluctant to continue the series, but it was included within my KU subscription, so why not?! I’d also seen another teaser on TikTok for this book, which I can’t lie, did have me intrigued.
Where Bad Girls Go To Fall follows Staci, an avid romance reader and tattooist at Parker’s tattoo salon, who has sworn off committing to men.
During a lonely evening, Staci sends a series of nudes to contact in her phone who she’s had relations with previously, only after receiving a message from the man asking for her address, she quickly realises she’s mistakenly sent it to her best friends brother, Mason. After receiving the surprise message, Mason is intrigued and determined to persuade Staci to pay him a visit, only Staci refuses to become involved with her best friend’s brother, who is also known as a player.
Staci attempts to navigate the mishap, despite her embarrassment, but is unable to do so due to them both being a part of the same friendship circle. When the group meets up, Staci and Mason are left together after being left by the rest of the circle, resulting in them to spend time together in the early hours, exploring the city, before sleeping with one another at the tattoo parlour, much to Staci’s initial reluctance.
The story follows the pair navigating their new found friendship, post sleeping with one another, with Mason determined to progress their friendship to a relationship, whilst being aware of Staci’s slow progress.
As the pair begin spending more time with one another, they both start to develop feelings beyond friendship, which they attempt to hide, only their feelings become more and more obvious.
After spending an evening together, Staci and Mason’s slowly developed relationship is halted, after Staci realises she’s developed feelings that are progressing to love. After her realisation, Staci decides to end their relationship before it can begin, leaving Mason confused and hurt.
When Staci is contacted by her father, she is summoned back to her home town in the light that her estranged husband is threatening to take back her father’s home, in his attempt to blackmail her back into their marriage. As a result, Staci is forced to face her sly husband, who is plotting to reunite under marriage counselling, only Staci has no interest in staying with him. Staci requests a divorce from him, whilst blackmailing him to let go of her father’s home, after showing him images of the physical abuse he put her through whilst they were together that resulted in her to flee her home town.
After her ex husband signs the divorce papers, Staci meets her friendship group in Las Vegas to attend the surprise wedding of her best friend Livy and Parker. It is only once she’s there that she’s unexpectedly reunited with Mason, due to his attendance at his sister’s wedding.
Whilst at the wedding, Staci and Mason discuss what happened the night Staci ended their relationship, with Staci revealing her history with her ex husband that lead her to loose her trust in men. After Staci’s revelation, the two rekindle and pursue a relationship.
The book ends with Mason asking Staci to move in with him.
I think my main reason for continuing this series is because the books are so easy to read, due to them being around 250 pages long. The chapters are also quick and snappy, which makes my motivation to read a lot higher, than if they were to be longer.
I mentioned in the first book of the series how the writing felt immature and also like reading a story from Wattpad, which I still stand by with this book. I don’t think that Holly Renee is an another I’ll ever rush to read a book by, except the final book of this series, just to say I’ve completed it. I feel like Holly’s writing style just lacks a lot of detail and depth, I think she focuses too much on the spice and therefore, there’s no plot, or if there is, it’s almost to compensate for the spice and there’s not really a plot there.
I always feel when reading her books, that the characters need more development in the sense of who they are, because I always feel like they’ve got no depth to their personalities.
As with the previous book and now with this book, the story felt rushed and it was hard to form an emotional attachment to the characters and I felt like the abuse aspect of this storyline was brushed past with no real expansion of it which would make readers become emotionally attached. I think this book would’ve benefitted from having flashbacks to Staci’s marriage to Ben, or even more of her inner monologue for readers to grasp that attachment.
Overall, I think Holly Renee is at a good starting point with her writing, but I feel like her romance books need a lot more depth and detail to make readers feel for the characters they’re reading about. I think the plot needs to be equal to the amount of spice, because this book felt like the spice was the main focal point so there wasn’t a lot of a plot – it was there, just not enough of it.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5
Georgia
♥
