In my review of Hard to Handle I lamented the fact that I was caught up on my reading of all of Nicole Edwards’ books. You can imagine my joy when Net Galley and Loveswept were kind enough to issue me an ARC of this story so I didn’t have to wait until October. (Of course, now I’m in the same predicament of having read all of her books but it being even longer before the next new-to-me book is published.) It’s no secret that I love this author and find her stories thoroughly engaging.

The last half of this book, after Chase and Cassie finally get to Vegas, is a freight train. It rolled over my emotions in so many ways and was very fast paced. I couldn’t put it down! It’s amazing how much best friends DON’T talk to each other once there are romantic feelings involved. And since they’ve always been the sounding board for each other they also didn’t talk things out with anyone else. Not really, anyway. While they drove me crazy they also kept me on the edge of my seat.

Here’s my problem…and I’m sorry to have to say that I did have a problem with this one. The first half of this book dragged for me. By chapter 6, about 20% into the book, I was noting that I was ready for things to move on. The main characters do not kiss until almost 50% into this story! My exact note when it happens was, “Jesus! It’s about time!” Now if this was a story about two people meeting for the first time, I don’t know that it would have been an issue. But Cassie and Chase have been friends for many, many years. I didn’t need as much set up as I was given in this story. And it pains me to say that since, again, I absolutely love Nicole Edwards.

This is the author’s first book that is not self-published. As I am not a writer myself I cannot say if it’s a natural thing for your writing habits (and even style) to change a bit when you’re no longer writing for just yourself. I can only imagine they would since you now have very firm deadlines.

What I want you to take away from this if you’ve never read Ms. Edwards is this…I am still rating this story pretty high (see my rating scale for reference) for a book that was so slow-moving at the beginning. Plus, I’ve decided to round-up in the stars instead of down. The last half of this book was definitely the Nicole Edwards writing that I know and love. Since this book is in no way connected to any of her other books or series yet (I know there’s another book in this series scheduled down the road) do yourself a favor and pick it up and read it. If you love the last part of the story as much as I did, do yourself another favor and go all the way back to the beginning (Conviction) and by the time you get to Kaleb (about her 5th book and the 1st in the Alluring Indulgence series) you’ll be as head over heels for this author as I am.

After all that being said, this was still a wonderful story. Chase is the perfect hero and just so sweet with Cassie. I love the introduction to each chapter being a blurb from a magazine article on Chase and his hockey career. I hope that means the next book in this series will have the same type of intro to the chapters. It was great for getting to know Chase and for a bit of foreshadowing. As usual, Nicole Edwards found a way to surprise me…in a good way.

3.5 stars

This was a so-so book for me.

I loved the character of Chase and how he is known as the bad boy of Hockey and spends the majority of his time in the sin box. Which consequently gives him the nickname Sin. I also loved how driven Cassie was and what a career woman she was. They became friends in college and Chase has always had a thing for Cassie but has made sure he has never scared her away. The alternating points of view were a good decision on the authors part as it added a bit of depth to both characters.

I just thought by the middle of the book it got so predictable that I felt myself loosing interest and had to push myself through. The banter and steam couldn't make up for it. Also there is a huge life event that happens to Cassie that I just couldn't believe she would let happen based on how her character is described. Ehhh.

Recommendation: It was a so-so book. Read if you like this type of story arc.

A great friends to lovers book that's steamy and fun. I loved Cassie and Chase and it was obvious they cared about each other a lot. Watching them figure that out is a great way to spend a few hours. The side characters are also enjoyable. The conflict comes naturally from the story, and it isn't too dramatic. The sports setting adds to the flavor, and never takes away from the love story. This was my first book from the author and I look forward to reading more.

Bad Reputation is a New Adult, friends-to-lovers, sports romance about two best friends Chase and Cassie. I've been into sports romances recently, so I was really looking forward to this book. It was such a fun, fast read, and I finished it in one day! NA is my go to genre when I'm in a reading slump, and I know this book will definitely be something I reread in the future.

New Adult books tend to be pretty iffy for me. It's hard to find stories I like that don't have slut shaming or other similar issues. Thankfully this book didn't have any of those problems, and was fun and believable.

I liked both of the characters. Cassie is very career oriented, and Chase is the "bad boy" of hockey. Initially I thought Chase would be more of a bad boy character but he really isn't, his nickname comes from all the trouble he get into on the ice. Even though he doesn't want a relationship, he's very respectful of the women he hooks up with. I was pleasantly surprised by this because these types of characters typically use women and aren't ashamed of it.

Cassie and Chase have been best friends for nine years, and are generally okay with where their relationship stands. Chase has secretly always had a thing for Cassie, but never acted on it because he knew she didn't reciprocate his feelings. However, things change when he accompanies Cassie on a business trip to Vegas. On the trip Cassie starts to see Chase in a different way, and is very confused about her feelings. This is where the romance part of the story really kicks in. After a few drinks, Cassie and Chase explore their feelings for one another, and some craziness ensues.

I really liked how even though they're friends and Chase in interested in Cassie, they have a normal friendship. They have dinner together once a week, they hang out, and neither is jealous when someone is interested in the other. It was a realistic portrayal of a male/female friendship.

I really enjoyed the book, but started to get annoyed towards the end because neither of them will tell the other how they feel. They're both clearly on the same page, but they don't say anything. The ending kind of dragged on because of this. Besides that though, this was a great read.

I really enjoyed this book, and can't wait to see what Nicole Edwards comes out with next!

Chase and Cassie are best friends and thought they have feeling for each other, Chase more so than Cassie, they haven't done anything about it, not wanting to shake the balance of their friendship. Till the time they go to Vegas and get so drunk, that they don't remember what all they did. They are in for a big surprise when they do remember :). But what effect will it have on their friendship ?
This was a fun read about a relation based on friendship and trust. I found the first half a little slow, and that's the only reason I'm giving it 4 stars. But it picks up in the second part when all the fun begins.
Nicole Edwards is a new author for me and I look forward to reading more in the series.

I must say that I’ve never read a friend to lovers novel quite like this.
It is obvious from the outset that Chase and Cassie have more than a normal friendship but they seem to be the only ones that are oblivious to the fact.
Chase is a bad boy ice-hockey star and Cassie is a workaholic that needs help in understanding the term ‘work life balance’.
A business trip to Vegas where she invites Chase along ends in the traditional, ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’, or at least it would if she could remember what happened, apart from losing her job of course!
A beautiful transition from friends to lovers develops and Cassie finds out the full truth about the goings on in Vegas.

A bit different from the usual style I have come to expect from Nicole Edwards but definitely a winner in my book!

Chase and Cassie have been best friends since they met at college, nine years ago. They have an incredible chemistry between them but they are happy as friends. But after some days in Vegas, everything changes.
I liked the book although the first half was a little bit slow.
I would love to read Natalie and Mark's book. I'm sure it would be hilarious.

I'm a Nicole Edwards fan. While this wasn't my favorite book of hers, she definitely has a way of writing characters we want to know more about. Her quick, clever dialogue makes it easy to connect with both characters and plot. This is certainly the case in this book. Our "hero" is a bad boy with a smart mouth that makes his personality leap off the page. Our heroine gives as good as she gets. A fun friends to lovers story.!

Unfortunately the book was not for me, no review was publicly posted on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads or Twitter etc, so no ratings were affected in relation to it.

I struggled with this book from the beginning, if you are going to write a story that is full of already well used tropes, you need to make sure you offer up something unique and different with your story so that it holds the readers attention.

Sadly this one just didn't offer anything new or unusual, it just felt like I was reading an amalgamation of bits and pieces from all the other books I have read in the past and because of that it just felt totally forgettable and hard to muster and real or meaningful interest in the story.

**I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

I'm not usually one for sports stories since (hello!) I'm not a big sports person. This was a cute story though. And there wasn't too too much sports in it, so that was good.

Cassie, the main gal, was super likable for her pit bull attitude in the office and with her friends. I even liked Chase, although I was super annoyed that the author kept referring to him as a womanizer. He literally wasn't with anyone the entire novel except for Cassie, and yet the label was everywhere. I probably could have done without the first 30% of the book, since it was essentially just "feelings denial."

After reading the Alluring Indulgence series, this is something different to me from Nicole Edwards.

I love a good sports romance, especially hockey romance although most of the events in this book happen during the off-season. The sexual tensions are delicously described, as Chase and Cassie go through conflicting emotions: is it ok to want more than friendship from your best friend? Feelings get buried deeper and deeper to protect their sacred bond.

This is a fairly easy read, not heavy on the sports part with sexy times and good supporting cast.


*I received an ARC through Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free copy of Bad Reputation in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed the story and loved Chase. What an all around good guy. Glad him and Cassie got their happy ending.

I loved this book. It is more than best friends falling in love. I think they were always in love, just too afraid to ruin what they had. Chase is super sweet, sexy, rich and a famous pro hockey player. So nobody believes Cassie when she tells people for years that they are just best friends. For me the ending was the best.

Another book by Nicole Edwards that I love. Different for,her in the friends to lovers. But loved every minute of it. Besties are awesome in it also. Thanks.

BAD REPUTATION BY NICOLE EDWARDS
Solid 4.25
So I'm a pretty tough reviewer, please know this is a fantastic rating for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Friends to lovers and even though you know what's coming you just can't wait to get there. Cassie and Chase are well developed and are now one of my favorite couples. Their story is one of swoon and heat!

Bad Reputation isn't complex, plot heavy, nor is it life changing. What it is- it's a light , joyful, simple read that will leave you with a smile on your face when you finish.

The author spends the first 20% letting the reader get a glimpse into Chase and Cassie's life- together and independent of each other. But are they really, independent? When Cassie's life crumbles around her from her own self induced implosion she is left with one thing, albeit a 6'5 male It's what's been standing in the precipice the entire time, she just didn't realize it. Not many characters can get away with this level of cockiness but good lord Chase! His level of entitlement with Cassie is over the top cocky but you will love every single minute of it. He is so accustomed to and caught up in living the life in fame and what everyone expects of him that it keeps him in his world of denial. Cassie has kept herself so busy with life she isn't just in denial over Chase but her entire life. When every horrible thing that Cassie could ever imagine happens what will she do? What will Chase do? Their friendship is perfection what would happen if they realize their feelings for each other?

In usual Nicole Edwards form the book is hot. You should definitely bump this one up to read as soon as you can.

I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book!!! This is a best friends turned lovers kind of story that is perfect through and through. The romance was pure beauty and the characters were delightful.

Chase is a famous NHL player that people paint as a "bad boy" because of his player status. He's also a guy with a bad temper. Everything about him screamed sin, which also happened to be his nickname. Chase may have been portrayed to his fan as a bad boy, but he was an amazing guy. He was funny, dominant, knew how to have fun and enjoyed life as it came.

Cassie is an important VP and doesn't know when to stop working. She does know how to have fun though. She was kind, socially awkward around men and didn't have much luck with them. I enjoyed her craziness that seemed to come out when she was around Chase and her friend Natalie.

A drunk night in Vegas changes Chase and Cassie's friendship forever. The two of them were opposities yet still the same. They secretly loved one another but didn't want to mess up their friendship. They were just amazing together when things finally hit off between them. I mean sparks, flames, stars and all. They were perfect.

Loved the ending, loved the drama, loved the denial they had. Great read and totally recommend it.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

...and honestly I loved it. I was introduced to Ms. Edwards by the Walker brothers (I loved that series too) and was excited when I saw a free arc being offered thru NetGalley and that I was eligible to receive it. Although tagged as a sport book, the fact that the male lead is a hockey player does not figure much into the story and was not important. The two leads Cassie and Chase have been best friends for years but Chase at least is willing to admit to us that he loves her beyond their friendship. It (the story) was told from the point of view of the two main characters and we are privy to their innermost thoughts. Their friendship moves beyond the normal while at a business trip in Vegas. Where too much booze leads to a drunken marriage in a wedding chapel. Once back home they embark on their sexual journey which ultimately leads to a minor misunderstanding and the truth of their love for one another. It was refreshing to see that Chase was open about his feelings for Cassie and that she was the one who had issues because of her mother. I loved the epilogue and the characters of Natalie and Marky Mark. A must read.

So this time I did things I little different, I decided to try something new, I wrote my thoughts on the book as I was reading it and not after I finished the whole thing. This is how it went, every time I read a bit I wrote my thoughts on it, not necessarily right after (I started this book right after I finished Drunk Dial, in the early a.m. and when I put it down I went right off to sleep), so I just wrote before I picked it up again.

Ok, right off the bat you get to know the main characters in the book and their background together. And you get the feel what the book is gonna be about. Of course you'd already know from reading the blurb, duuh! Spoiler alert: it's one of my favorites, best friends to lovers!!
My feeling so far are: Chase is an actual nice guy pretending to be a huge jerk and womanizer but in reality he isn't, at least not as much as he makes himself to be. Cassie is getting on my nerves, I don't really like her so far, she's Chase's best friend but the way she talks about him and just doesn't know the real REAL Chase doesn't sit right with me! I get that he's been her only bff for YEARS and she hasn't let herself think about him as an actual male but they way she talks or just thinks about him sometimes, I seriously don't like it. She seems to be starting to think about it, since everyone can see that if they aren't in a romantic relationship yet, they will be someday and their not afraid to be vocal about it. Also, even though she's just not picturing the guy naked in the same room as her, you can tell every time she mentions him with girls, she's jealous, it's not obvious to anyone but us readers. I'm curious how their relationship will develop into more than friendship, I have a feeling it will be on their trip to Vegas and things are about to get real hot!! (I left off at 33%.)
Guess what I was totally right! Things got steamy in Vegas, but not only steamy, mistakes were made and things really went to shit for some of the characters. I won't got into great detail because I feel like I already did say to much and to those of you who don't like any type of spoilers might already be pissed at me for that. A lot happens in Vegas and after Vegas, things get complicated, relationship wise and among other things. Cassie managed to keep getting on my nerves throughout the rest of the book. I seriously disliked her sometimes. I just don't how she could be Chase's best friend and think so poorly of him sometimes, specially since he was the sweetest guy towards her, seriously he was perfect. She was the only one who couldn't see it or believe it and it just pissed me off. I felt really protective of Chase, he was such a good guy and Cassie was hurting him and that was not okay! I get that Cassie had all sorts of Mommy issues but that doesn't make it ok for her to hurt my baby Sin.
Anyway gotten that out of the way and my chest, this is a fast paced read, it's funny sometimes, sometimes sad or frustrating and the sexual scenes are HOT. I mean that, Chase and Cassie had years YEARS of sexual tension to release and boy did they!

This was the first book that I have read from this author, but will not be the last. The characters are so real as is the plot. Chase Barrett, other wise known as "Sin", is the bad boy hockey player, who sometimes spends more time in the penalty box than on the ice. He also has a reputation with the ladies. Which is why his best friend since college, Cassie Desrosiers, refuses to let her true feelings for him surface. Both have feelings for each, but won't voice them, because their friendship is too important and they won't risk losing it. Cassie is all work and barely any play, but because of her work ethic has worked her way high up in her company and is up for a promotion. She is asked to give the key note speech at a conference in Vegas and because it is between seasons, invites Chase to come along. Will something happen in Vegas to change their relationship? Does what happens in Vegas, really stay in Vegas? Read the book to find out.

I read an ARC of this enjoyable book, provided by the publisher, via netgalley.com

Requested and received an ARC from NetGalley

When I requested this I thought I would enjoy this far more than I did. I like friends to lovers, Vegas trips, hockey and drunken nuptials. Cassie and Chase are likeable, but the story is so focused on them and there's so little growth or character development, that the story itself is almost too simplistic. It would easily be an afternoon beach read with a simple plot and hot sex. For whatever reason I stopped reading just over halfway through and forgot about it entirely for over a month. The only reason I finished it was because I saw it was still on my shelf on NetGalley when I went to submit a review for a different book. I had to go back and skim the first half because I had no memory of it. None. It's a perfectly pleasant read, but there's nothing truly memorable about it other than the sex scenes, although I have to give kudos for the epilogue. Well done. For me this is the kind of book just made for KindleUnlimited...enjoyable to read but not necessarily one you'd have any desire to read again.