Whenever I start a new Nicole Edwards' book I am beyond thrilled. Her romances always have a little bit of everything - sweet, swoony moments, angst and drama as well as red hot and erotic scenes - she truly gives a reader a feast of emotions to enjoy.

Her latest release, Bad Reputation is the story of two best friends who secretly have feelings for one another but are unable or unwilling to risk their friendship to try for more.  It is an excellent friends to lovers romance.

After a few chapters with Chase and Cassie - I was one smitten momma.  I loved the chemistry and friendship between these two characters. Right from the start, they were already in a relationship with one another but it was strictly platonic. They had all the real, everyday  benefits of a relationship without the most enjoyable aspect - sex.

Experiencing them admitting their feelings and surrendering to their lust for one another was incredible.  I loved how it felt reckless when they went for what they truly wanted - it left me feeling giddy and overwhelmed with happiness.  I was consumed by it all and I could not put Bad Reputation down because of it.  I loved this couple.

Chase and Cassie share quite the journey together and Nicole gave me one hell of a book. Definitely one-click Bad Reputation - I promise you will love it, too!

Yes, Chase has a Bad Rep, I mean bad boy hockey player by day (his nickname is "Sin" after all) why wouldn't he be just as bad at night.

I always did love a story about unrequited love finding its way to love. Cassie doesn't want to ruin their friendship and therefore absolutely refuses to give into her attraction to Chase. I never got to do Vegas like Cassie and Chase did. I don't know if I should be glad or sad that I didn't. What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay there. Thankfully for us!

I just love Nicole Edwards books and this book is a fantastic start to a new series by her. I couldn't put it down at all and once I had read it and had to read it again and told everyone I know to try this new series by her as its that epic of a book. I'm at a lose for words with this book as its that fantastic and I don't know what people are waiting for go get this book as you will totally want to own it and all her other books too. Would totally recommend this to everyone

Rated 3.5 stars!

Chase Barrett and Cassie Desrosiers have been friends for a very long time. Chase has long harbored a secret crush on his bestie, Cassie, but has not wanted to end a good friendship so has put off pursuing her. When the attraction becomes to much, Chase decides to change tactics. He wants Cassie for his own and he must show her he is worth taking a shot on.

Cassie has never considered Chase as anything more than a friend, but after a night in Vegas, suddenly she's seeing Chase in a whole new light. Cassie knows it's all fun and games now and then things will be over between them. Breaking things off was supposed to be easy so why is Cassie finding it so hard to let Chase go?!

I really enjoyed the banter and playfulness between Cassie and Chase. It is really refreshing to see love bloom from a sturdy friendship. These two have literally no idea what they're getting themselves into, but it is certainly all going to be worth it. BAD REPUTATION, book one, is a great start to a author Nicole Edwards provocative BAD BOYS OF SPORTS series. Sports romance fans will not want to miss it.

**Advanced copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Bad Reputation is the first book in Nicole Edward's new Bad Boys of Sports series and it was a great way to start it off! This was my first opportunity to read this author's work and it definitely will not be my last! This story sucked me right on in!

Chase Barrett is known as the Bad Boy of Hockey both on and off the ice. He's earned that moniker on the ice because of his penchant for ending up in the penalty box and I think the off-ice part speaks for itself - the man is undeniably HOT!

Cassie Desrosiers is an executive at a tech company and someone who always has her priorities straight and basically lives for her work. Her mother has not set the best example in the romance department, parading men in and out of Cassie's life for years, so Cassie is less than eager to find any kind of long lasting relationship, hence her focus on her career.

Chase and Cassie have been best friends for years, doing everything and nothing together. Cassie believes that Chase has a revolving door of women coming in and out of his bed, but is that the reality? When Cassie invites Chase to join her at a work function in Las Vegas, he jumps at the chance to accompany her. Will what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas, or will it end up having a ripple effect once they get back to Texas?

I loved the relationship between Chase and Cassie and how supportive they were of one another in all aspects of their lives. They definitely had great chemistry and I was definitely sucked into the story. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!

I tryed.. Man did I try but this book just wasn't for me. I knew what was gonna happen I didn't really care at all about the characters. I wasn't into the hockey theme. Its the same old friends in love with each other but afraid it will ruin everything, the female thinks the best friends a manhoe and the guy is secretly in love with the girl. Just not my cuppa tea.

Hockey is having a day in contemporary romance right now and I'm not mad at it. I'm especially not mad at Chase "Sin" Barrett and his secret obsession with his bff Cassie. Admittedly, the friends to lovers trope isn't my favorite. If they've both been attracted to each other since high school, what's taken them so long to make-out?! But, in the case of Chase and Cassie, it worked.

Here's what I liked: Cassie is a successful career woman. Chase has two dads. Cassie's assistant/friend is super funny. Drunken nights in Vegas are always hilarious in a romance novel. They're both hot and the chemistry is steamy.

Here's what I didn't like: JUST ADMIT HOW YOU FEEL ALREADY.

A friends to lovers that is such a slow burn it hurts. All the second guessing was a bit much. Seems odd that neither really had a "spark" until Vegas and of course things in Vegas get way out of hand. I wasn't a fan of how Cassie could even consider going out on the town before her big day. While we didn't get a good feel for her character I feel that being the VP and preparing for "months" for the keynote she would have a bit more self control if you will the night before the speech. I just couldn't wrap my head around that.

I think my favorite part was the epilogue (11 months later) bit. If we could have that part half way through the book and go from there it would have been a better read, but to go over half way through with the still "(s)he is my BEST FRIEND I can't ruin that" bit was too much.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book but I'm going to have to put it aside. I'm 25% in and it's not grabbing my attention and frankly, I feel like I've read this book a hundred times over...there's absolutely nothing new.

Right out of the gate this story is captivating and was hard to put down. The author perfectly captured the essence of a professional athlete in Chase. Not only his abilities, but his personality right along with all the other traits one may not see but behind the scenes.

Chase and Cassie's friendship was unique in its boundaries, but also hot and sexy...and that's before they changed the parameters, afterwards-breathtaking. There are many lighthearted moments that were depicted in such clarity that it was easy to envision it unfolding right before my eyes. Chase's inner monologues were priceless.

Since this is the first book in the series, I'm very much looking forward to the next story.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and Netgally, I am voluntary providing my honest review.

To say this was a good book is an understatement.
I laughed, sighed, groaned and gasped, but in the end I smiled.
Friends to lovers and sports - *sigh*. Chase and Cassie were meant to be. This book is packed with great storytelling and some serious sexual tension. Be prepared for your ovaries to explode.
Nicole Edwards always finds a way to write a sensuous and highly addictive story packed with enough chemistry and angst that it stays with you for days. She's one of those authors that you talk about with your girlfriends and want to shout from the rooftop, "READ THIS AUTHOR!"
This story made me fall in love and left me anticipating the release of the next book in this series.
By far, one of my favorite friends-to-lovers romances, and I 100% recommend this!

I'm not rating/reviewing this book since I didn't finish it. I gave up at 50% because it was not working for me and didn't want to end up hating it. I loved the two dads but the romance itself felt flat, stereotypical, unrealistic.

"Deny, deny, deny."

I can't find the words to tell you how much I enjoyed this story. It's an eye-opening #friends2lovers romance that had me smiling and sighing non-stop.

Chase it totally irresistible. He's a bad boy that spends a good portion of every hockey game in the penalty box for fighting, but that's not what he's known for with the ladies. He treats them like queens, and even when he dumps them there's no hard feelings. They all love him and cannot understand how his best friend is a girl. He's over six feet of tanned ripped muscle and has a reputation for having a huge d*@k. Who could resist that? All of his team mates think his best friend, Cassie, is hot. But they've been warned she's off-limits. Not because he wants her though. No, it's because she doesn't date players. Yeah, right. Do you believe that?

I didn't think so. Their family and friends don't either. Unfortunately, Chase and Cassie do. They have been best friends since they were teenagers. They would do anything for each other. While they each acknowledge that they find the other attractive, they care too much to ever risk what they have by acting on it. "Deny, deny, deny." That's the plan and that seems to be working for them... so far.

This couple is absolutely adorable. Their witty banter kept me highly entertained. And their friends were very amusing too. Bad Reputation is only the first book in the Bad Boys of Sports series so I'm very excited that there will be more Texas Tornadoes #HockeyHotties in my future. The line forms here...

Chase and Cassie are best friends without benefits. They care very deeply for one another, but Chase cannot bring himself to tell Cassie about his feelings. When a trip to Las Vegas comes up, the two grow even closer and they begin to see each other as more than friends.

This was a great read. Chase and Cassie's relationship is hot and steamy.

I have read and thoroughly enjoyed many of the author’s books, such as the Alluring Indulgence, Pier 70, Sniper 1 Security and the Austin Arrows series. I think Nicole does m/f and m/m romances so well and I’ve yet to come across a book of hers that I didn’t get sucked into and love. I was excited to read this first book in the Bad Boys of Sport series and I just hope it lived up to Nicole’s other books. The book follows successful businesswoman, Cassie Desrosiers and her best friend of nine years, Texas Tornadoes hockey player, Chase Barrett. I love good friends to lover’s tale if it’s told well and has plenty of slow burn with a getting together that does it justice and this tale delivered and then some. The couple are as close as two friends can be, both convinced they’re relationship is and always will be friends only. I loved the camaraderie they had but things all come to head with a trip to Vegas... I loved the supporting cast of the Dads and also Nat and Marky Mark, whose story I’d be really interested in reading. In summary, this was a great tale and was on par with Nicole’s other books, it was a sweet love story that kept your interest with two very likeable characters. The sex scenes were hot and well written and I’d definitely read more in the series.

Chase is known as Sin, the Bad Boy of Hockey, because he spends so much time in the penalty box aka the Sin Bin. He is a fierce competitor and irresistible to women but he really only trusts his dads and his best friend, Cassie. Cassie is the perfect best friend and gorgeous but she and Chase decided a long time ago to keep their relationship in the Friend Zone. They both value their friendship and wouldn't want to lose it. Of course, over time their feelings change and that's when the fun begins. Red hot romance!

I was surprised by this one! It started out a little slow for me, but pulled me right in!
I adore the best friends to lovers story. I think every one has that friend or knows a friend that has that best male friend that they think they maybe someday might be with. Add a super hot hockey dude and yep yep, sign me up!
A lot of bumps, sweet and sexy moments along the way make this story perfect. I like the jabs at one another and the chemistry was great!

I'll definitely be picking up more by Nicole!

This was a best friend to lovers book. Chase and Cassie were completely opposites but they had been each others best friend for years. Chase was a famous hockey player, and I always love story of hockey players, thru out the book, both Chase and Cassie, insisted that they were just friends, nothing else, however when we read Chase's thoughts, he admitted that he liked Cassie for more than just friendship but he never crossed that line because he did not want to lose her. Cassie, was a big executive, but she finally at a time in her life that she felt like she wanted a relationship, she never thought that she wanted that since she did not have a good example in her mother, but again insisted that Chase was just her friend. They went to Vegas, and everything happened, and I will not give you the details, but all hell broke lose, and the truth comes out, and misunderstandings take place, but eventually we get out HEA. I personally wanted my own Chase...

An interesting book! This was the first book from this author that I have read. I enjoyed the story and would read more from this author.