Better When He's Bad

3.5 stars really

My quick, short, and sweet review,

I liked this one. The writing was cleaner and the suspense storyline was cohesive and interesting. I do think there was a little something missing with the chemistry between Bax and Dovie, our leads. I do disagree that their sex scenes were severely lacking. I thought they were more emotional and serious than maybe this author's usual flair but I liked them. I mean, come on, they did it on the hood of a muscle car. I have a slight obsession with muscle cars so the car porn mentioned in here may have colored my views a little bit.(the only complaint I have here is there needed to be less pony cars and more muscle cars, specifically my chevelle SS)

The biggest problem I had was the constant show more telling of how bad Bax was. People kept saying it, over and over, but I never really saw it. He boosted cars, got caught and went to jail. His character was a little too New Adult to be truly dark and I think this is the problem people are having with this book. Anyway, I liked it, thought the author's writing has definitely improved, and will be reading the next book in the series. If you're going to read this, just lower your expectations to how dark and bad the synopsis makes Bax sound. show less

Ah, I am kicking myself again for not writing a review as soon as I read the book. Here I am 3 weeks later trying to remember all the things that made me love this book. I do remember that this book started me on a bad boy kick, but none of my follow-up reads quite matched up to Bax and Dove.

Shane "Bax" Baxter is a boy that grew up in the hood. He is not just a bad boy, one of those posers with a rebellious side. Bax is a BAD boy. Trouble with a capital T. The kind of antihero that you lust after, but are scared to tangle with because you don't want to be taken down with him. (I am not speaking of the murdering and hurting people type of bad... but the wrong side of the tracks boosting cars type of bad.) A product of his upbringing, Bax show more survives the only way he knows how. And he is good at surviving, good at being BAD. Bax is unapologetic for his method of survival - he embraces that side of himself and no one better stand in his way. But the flip side to Bax is that when he does care about someone, he puts his whole heart into it. And about the only people he cares about in the whole world are Dovie and Race. But will Dovie be able to handle Bax's kind of love? Because Bax's love is the most encompassing and altruistic kind out there. Can she accept the ultimate sacrifice?

Then we meet Dovie Pryce, who is as Good as Bax is Bad. Having a similar background to Bax, Dovie is looking for a way out. After the death of her (horrible) mother, she is forced to survive some hellish foster homes before being rescued by her older half brother. But Dovie proves that you are not always a product of your circumstances. Now living in The Point, Dovie keeps her had down, works, and goes to school with aspirations of social work in her future. She volunteers at a group home for troubled youth. She has the loyalty of her friends and neighbors. So when Bax comes into her life, and she sees the cold dead danger in his eyes, she knows that he is not a boy to mess around with.

I snorted. “There was nothing in those eyes, Carmen.”
“Oh, honey, if you look close enough, everything is in those eyes. That’s why they’re so dark. They are full. Full of every secret, every promise, and every temptation that can make a good girl do really bad things and enjoy every second of it. Watch yourself, Dove. This could get ugly for you really fast.”

But Dovie quickly learns while being Bad is sometimes oh-so Good.

I really liked this couple together. I loved seeing the softer side that Dovie brought out of Bax, but I also loved seeing his hard protective side when it came to those he cared about. The suspense of the book enthralled me - it was gritty and raw and emotional - and it continued to build in such a way that you knew you were in for something explosive before the end. I wouldn't say the tone of the book was overly dark - it had more of a somber gray feel to it, like the sun doesn't shine quite as bright in The Point. The narrators of the audiobook did a great job at keeping my attention and maintaining the grit and tone for the story. Leland King did an exceptional job at bringing Bax's character to life.

I am looking forward to seeing where Jay Crownover takes us with the rest of this series. I will be visiting The Point again very soon. 4.5 stars / 3 flames. show less

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Realistic story filled with consequences, raw passion, and suspense. Highly recommend this to anyone that is a new adult fan.

Opening Sentence: THERE ARE VERY FEW things that can kill the buzz of postsex mellowness.

The Review:

Shane Baxter grew up in the slums of The Pointe, and he has rightfully earned the reputation of being a thief and a fighter. He is not someone you mess with, but five years ago he found himself on the wrong side of the law that put him in jail. He is now finally free and he wants some answers as to why people he trusted sent him to jail. He doesn’t care who he hurts or what he has to do to get his answers, because there is one thing Bax is good at and that is show more getting what he wants. Then a new curve ball is thrown his way, an innocent and striking girl that makes him feel things he has never felt before.

Dovie Pryce hasn’t lived a charmed life but she hasn’t let that make her a bitter person. Things were bad when she was a kid, but five years ago her half brother Race came and rescued her. He took her out of the slums and has been providing for her. Now he has disappeared and Dovie will do anything to find him, even trust his best friend that just got out of prison. Everything about Bax screams stay away, but even though he is terrifying Dovie can’t help but think he is the sexiest man she has ever met. With no other option, Dovie lets Bax into her life, but did she bite off more then she can chew with this bad boy?

Bax is a very original character and I loved that he was so different from your typical bad boy. Growing up with a drunken mother that he had to take care of was difficult for him, but learning to take care of himself has made him who he is today. He thrives on doing things that are always in check with the law but at the same time he has a sense of loyalty to what is right and wrong. He is brutally honest and doesn’t ever try to be someone he’s not, which I found really attractive. He has this dark side to his personality that can be extremely scary but he also has a very gentle and sweet side as well. My favorite thing about Bax is that deep down he is a good person, but being bad will always be a part of him. It makes him a very sexy and intriguing man that would be extremely hard to resist.

Dovie couldn’t be more opposite than Bax, which made them a great couple. Her mother was an addict and she was the illegitimate daughter of a very rich man that wanted nothing to do with her. So her childhood wasn’t ideal, but instead of that making her turn to a criminal lifestyle she decided to see the good in life and not let her future become a repeat of her past. That doesn’t mean she believes in fairytales, but she is willing to work hard to become a better person. She works at a home for children that have nowhere else to go and she is going to school to become a counselor in hopes that someday she will be able to help children like her even more. There is just something innately good about Dovie that made it easy to love and respect her.

The sexual tension between Dovie and Bax was always present and they had great chemistry. But they were both realistic about things and I really liked that. She pulled out the good in him and he pulled out the bad in her which made them both more complete people. Being together in a relationship like they have isn’t easy but it’s totally worth it. I loved them together and I really made a connection with them as a couple.

Better When He’s Bad is a HOT story with an intriguing plot, original characters, and raw passion. The best thing about it is that while it is a love story that is not the main focus of the plot. Instead it focuses more on the action and suspenseful part of the story, which I really appreciated. I have read so many new adult books lately that have great romance but really no other subplot, and it was refreshing to read something that had both. Crownover did such a great job making her story feel original and different with her characters as well as the plot. I felt that both Dovie and Bax were very realistic and interesting. But I also loved all the secondary characters which is perfect since a few of them are going to be getting their own stories and I honestly can’t wait! One other thing that Crownover did was she actually surprised me with some of the twist she threw in and I really commend her for that because it isn’t easy to do. Suffice to say, I completely loved everything about this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone that is looking for a sexy read full of action and suspense!

Notable Scene:

“Are you scared of me?” His voice was scratchy.

I met his gaze steadily in the glass. “Terrified.”

His chin dipped in a little nod of acknowledgment.

“Do you trust me?”

“No.”

I saw a shadow flit across that midnight gaze. He lifted a knuckle and rubbed at the blood smeared across his face.

“You going to go to bed with me?”

I sucked in a hard breath through my nose. I wanted to look away but he wouldn’t let me. “Probably.”

FTC Advisory: William Morrow/HarperCollins provided me with a copy of Better When He’s Bad. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. show less

5 "bad is better" stars! I love it when an author can make an otherwise dark character a worthy romantic hero. Jay Crownover does that, and so much more, in Better When He's Bad, the debut novel for her new series, Welcome to the Point. Seriously blending the lines between right and wrong, this book proves that some times true love is neither black nor white, but really something much closer to, turn-your-world-upside-down, gray!

Shane Baxter ("Bax") is a delinquent who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, in a fictional town named The Point. Raised by a single-mother, who is a drunk, he never had much growing-up. Eventually, he turns to the streets for financial support, and earns his money hijacking cars and participating in show more illegal street races and underground fights.

Before long his reputation as the most ruthless thug around attracts the attention of the most evil man in town, Novak. Interestingly, Bax and Novak have a long history, and while Novak initially refused to acknowledge Bax, Novak eventually comes to see him as his legacy. With such a crucial role envisioned for him, Novak, the King Pin of the local gang, will stop at nothing, including destroying everything in his path, to control Bax.

We first meet Bax fresh out of the penitentiary, where he served a five-year term for stealing a very, high-end car and running away from the police. He's not out more than a few hours, when his old gang, finds him and gives him a welcome beating and an unwelcome message: Race, his best friend and the man he went to jail to protect, has gone missing.

Bax immediately starts looking for Race, but instead finds his sister, Dovie Pryce. Dovie is an enigma to Bax. Notwithstanding her similar beginnings, she is pure and good and even works to help others. Eternally grateful to Race for saving her from a bad foster home, she is also determined to find save him. Given that Race told her to trust no one except for Bax, she will do anything to enlist Bax's help. Of course, Bax initially wants nothing to do with Dovie. Not only is she a hindrance to his mission, but he's not even sure what he will do with Race once he finds him, as he suspects that Race may have been the one who set him up the night he landed in jail.

Although initially scared, it doesn't take long for Dovie to see what no one else can: that "Bax" is also part "Shane", and the irresistible combination of bad and evil lead to an mix that she just can't stay away from. Soon the sparks start to fly as Bax and Dovie, join together to find Race. But can a good girl like Dovie, ever truly hold on to a guy who is more evil than good? Moreover, as the chess game draws to a close in the mystery behind what led to Bax's jail time, and why Race is hiding out, can Dovie remain safe and play a role other than a pawn?

Nash, in the Marked Men series, was my first Jay Crownover read and it was a 5-star experience for me. So I knew I just had to read Better When He's Bad as soon as I heard about it. Well, imagine my surprise, when I found that Better When He's Bad was even better! I was so engrossed in both the fantastic suspense and the incredibly titillating romance and passion in this story, that I devoured it from start to finish!

What an amazing story that proves that life is not clear cut, and that sometimes the best in life can come from what many cast off as the worst. Thank you for the fresh perspective Jay Crownover! I love it when authors are willing to risk writing an out-of-the-box story! These are the stories that keep me reading! I can't wait for Better When He's Bold, the next book in the series! show less

Wow, oh wow! Better when he’s bad just blew me for the biggest loop ever. Jay Crownover has created another gritty, raw and realistic series. Shane Baxter is going to knock you into the biggest tailspin you’ve never seen coming. I knew going into this book that it was going to be explosive but I don’t think I knew just how explosive it was going to be. I will tell you that for me it had a rough start, and I had a hard time staying engaged but when it hit me I was “don’t move” reading. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Dovie Pryce was, pure innocent, sweet the polar opposite of Shane Baxter in his dark, brooding, & self-destructing! There are so many things about this book that I want to tell you, the biggest part show more being read it. Don’t let it pass you by. But I refuse to leak any bit of this book. The twist and turns that it takes are totally worth it. You have “Bax” who just got done serving 5 years of prison time and doesn’t believe he has any good in him, that he will never be any type of redeemable person. Then you have Dovie and she is determined to bring out any light that lives inside of Bax knows she sees more. Pair all that with trying to figure out why Dovie’s brother Race (who is Bax’s best friend) has fallen off the radar and like I said explosive. This is a 5-Star book, and it’s a great change of pace still romance but great action & suspense.

Jammie show less

***Copy provided in exchange for an honest review***

"My name is Shane Baxter, Bax to most people, and I'm a thief. Got a girl? I'll take her from you. Got a sweet ride that you dropped a mint on? I'll take it from you....."

I loved Bax! He is so bad but you can't help but love him. This was such a great read and I couldn't put it down! I love that there is so much of a story. It isn't girl meets bad boy and falls in love, blah, blah, blah. No we actually get to see how bad Bax is. He isn't one of these characters that we hear are bad but never see it. Nope, we see him fully. The mystery aspect of this book pulled me in so much! I love a good mystery with some sexy times included!

Dovie was such a good female lead as well. BTW- I LOVE her show more name!! Anyways Dovie looks like a sweet, country girl who would't know a thing about surviving in The Point. But it's important to remember looks can be deceiving and her life hasn't been easy and there for sure wasn't any farm in her past! I think what I liked most about her is she stayed true to herself and she never tries to change Bax. She accepts him for who he is, she knows he's bad. But some people are better when bad and he is one of them!

I have a feeling I am going to love this series! I cannot wait to read Race's book! show less

***Copy provided in exchange for an honest review***

"My name is Shane Baxter, Bax to most people, and I'm a thief. Got a girl? I'll take her from you. Got a sweet ride that you dropped a mint on? I'll take it from you....."

I loved Bax! He is so bad but you can't help but love him. This was such a great read and I couldn't put it down! I love that there is so much of a story. It isn't girl meets bad boy and falls in love, blah, blah, blah. No we actually get to see how bad Bax is. He isn't one of these characters that we hear are bad but never see it. Nope, we see him fully. The mystery aspect of this book pulled me in so much! I love a good mystery with some sexy times included!

Dovie was such a good female lead as well. BTW- I LOVE her show more name!! Anyways Dovie looks like a sweet, country girl who would't know a thing about surviving in The Point. But it's important to remember looks can be deceiving and her life hasn't been easy and there for sure wasn't any farm in her past! I think what I liked most about her is she stayed true to herself and she never tries to change Bax. She accepts him for who he is, she knows he's bad. But some people are better when bad and he is one of them!

I have a feeling I am going to love this series! I cannot wait to read Race's book! show less