*4.5 stars - Once Upon a Bad Boy by Melonie Johnson is a really enjoyable second chance romance!

Up-and-coming actress Sadie Gold hit her big break by landing the leading role in the new action movie Fair is Fair. There's just one problem: the stunt coordinator hired to help turn Sadie into a kick-ass heroine is her first love Bo Ibarra.

Bo dumped Sadie 11 years ago, on prom night no less, because he didn't think he could ever truly belong in Sadie's life. Sadie comes from a wealthy family and Bo comes from a working class family (his dad actually used to work for Sadie's grandmother), but working together on the movie gives them a second chance to see if their love really is strong enough to overcome their socioeconomic differences.

I was really excited to read Once Upon a Bad Boy after Sadie's relationship with Bo was teased in Smitten by the Brit (Sometimes in Love, #2) and Melonie Johnson did not disappoint. The chemistry between Sadie and Bo was off the charts from the first moment they reconnected at the table read to their beautiful HEA. I thought that their backstory was super sweet and that Melonie Johnson did a wonderful job of sprinkling new details about their relationship history throughout the novel.

My only complaint is that the novel feels a bit rushed and choppy at the end due to the time jumps. 80% of the novel is nicely spaced out between August and October, then there's an incident that separates Sadie and Bo in November, then we jump to a chapter in February before skipping to the end of the novel in May. It would have been nicer if the pacing stayed the same throughout the novel, but that's just a personal preference.

All in all, I recommend Once Upon a Bad Boy to anyone who loves second chance romances.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Melonie Johnson and NetGalley for the advance digital galley!



SPOILER

I really appreciated how Melonie Johnson handled Sadie's abortion. I loved that Sadie owned her decision on a very public scale - so brave and inspiring. I also loved that Bo came to the realization that it was entirely Sadie's decision to make, and that he had no reason to hold it against her. The scene where the reunite at the end was very touching.

The third book in the Sometimes in Love series, which can certainly be read as a stand-alone, contains all the juicy romance scenes found in the first two novels. There were a few things that bothered me about this book. It seemed to have no real connection to the first two in the series (the main character, Sadie, is briefly mentioned in the first two books, but that's about it). I wish there was a better buildup to this relationship in the previous books. Also, the romantic lead doesn't really come off as a bad boy. Other than doing stunts and riding a motorcycle, he is quite the nice guy. Despite these problems, I enjoyed reading the book, and look forward to reading more by this author. If you are looking for an uncomplicated romance that you can really get lost in, this book is for you.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Everyone loves a second chance romance, right? The lovers have grown up, gotten wiser, or perhaps in the case of Sadie and Bo, they just learned to hide their past truths. Sadie was a pampered little rich girl who grew up into an up and coming star, trying to make it on her own merit and Bo, the son of her family’s equine manager, now a movie stunt trainer, fell in love as children, went too far, gave too much and were not mature or secure enough to hang on to each other.

A decade later, they are back together and the sparks fly, the embers of love and lust reignited, but secrets from the past are still buried deep. Will those secrets tear them apart once again or are they finally ready to be adults in an adult relationship?

ONCE UPON A BAD BOY by Melonie Johnson has all of the elements for a romantic and sexy escape from reality and for the most part, it worked for me, but there was so much that didn’t. I didn’t feel a sense of freshness in this tale. Parts I wanted to know more about were glossed over, perhaps in favor of more sex?

I am a fan of Melonie Johnson’s Sometimes in Love series, but this one just missed the Five Star mark for me, in spite of likeable characters, an amazing grandma and a cute little boy.


I received a complimentary ARC edition from St. Martin's Paperbacks!

Series: Sometimes in Love - Book 3
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (June 25, 2019)
Publication Date: June 25, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

Loved this so much. Couldn't stop reading it. I loved all the characters. Can't wait to see what will happen next!

Once Upon a Bad Boy is a sweet, charming romance and I devoured this book in one sitting! I love the premise of the novel- a richer girl and a man who grew up without all the finer things. These two are clearly opposites but the saying is true, opposites attract! I adored this one. And the cover? It's GORGEOUS! I look forward to reading more of the authors novels in the near future.

I love this series! It is a wonderful romantic comedy and I'm really hoping that this series continues with the other friends. This was a great second chance romance.

Another fantastic addition to the series by Melonie Johnson! The book is so very well written. Once Upon a Bad Boy is a story of growth, choices, and forgiveness. Melonie has quickly become an author that will be a must read for me. The story is so very well written with bits of humor woven in. I love a book that makes me smile, and this one did just that.
Thanks NetGalley!

I received this ARC for an honest review. This is the third book in this series, and it can be read as a stand alone. This story is about Sadie and Bo. Bo’s father was the stable manager for Sadie’s grandmother. They met when she was seven and he was eight, Sadie spent the summers at her grandmother’s so they spent the entire time together. As teenagers they fell in love, and during prom Bo broke up with Sadie. They meet up again on the Sadie’s new movie. She is the new action star and he is the stunt coordinator, This is all I am going to tell you about the book. I KNOW you are interested so why are you waiting READ THIS BOOK!
Personally, I thought it was an enjoyable and cute story. I am definitely interested in reading the rest of the series.

This is my first Melonie Johnson read and it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this story. I know it’s part of a trilogy but I wasn’t lost at all. Now excuse me while I binge read the others.

Delightful! Fun characters and a nice addition to the series. I wasn't sure I was up to a Hollywood romance but once again Johnson proved my fears unfounded. Can't wait for the next one.

Once Upon A Bad Boy is a fantastic contemporary romance by Melonie Johnson. Ms. Johnson has once again impressed me with her storytelling abilities with this well-written book. The characters are outstanding and I love the humor.
Sadie is an actress and donut aficionado. Bo is her ex and now the stunt coordinator on her new movie. Their story is packed with drama, humor, sizzle and fun and snappy dialog.
There's nothing I didn't like about this book. I loved every page and look forward to my next book by Melonie Johnson. Once Upon A Bad Boy is book 3 of the Sometimes In Love Series but can be read as a standalone. I've read all 3 books of this series and I think this one might be my favorite so far. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've really enjoyed this trilogy. Miss Melonie Johnson is definitely going to be an auto buy author. Her writing style makes you feel as you are with the characters in every way. I highly recommend them.

I really enjoyed this book. It reminds me of jackie collins style which i read many moons ago. The storyline and characters are full of depth and realism.

I was excited to read Sadie’s story and really liked her and Bo. The novel started out great but I wish we saw more growth in their relationship instead of just being told how great their love was. Their past relationship was written about quite a bit but a lot of current day material was mostly physical. I’m excited to read more books from this series and look forward to them!

A second chance? Or just an explanation would be nice. Sadie is one of the gal pals from the first 2 books in the series. Sadie isn't after a foreign guy. She wants her old high school love. What are the chances they meet when she finally gets a big break in her acting career. Maybe now she will find out why he dumped her on prom night. A steamy reunion or a revisit of the past? I am really liking this series. The author is excellent at keeping me interested and turning pages. Can't wait to read the next one.

Once Upon a Bad Boy by Melonie Johnson is the third in the Sometimes in Love series. The series centers around a group of girls that become best friends in college. This book focuses on Sadie. She is an actress who comes from a wealthy background but is trying to prove she can make It on her own. She just got her big break – a breakout role in a major motion picture. Then her old childhood sweetheart Bo shows up as the stunt coordinator on the film. They were torn apart by circumstances neither of them knew about. They were from very different social circles. Can they get a second change at love? I enjoyed their journey and I think you will too.

Fun, fast read, continuing the series.

I like this series for a few reasons. The location, Chicago. And the fierce friendships between these five women. I wish I had a group of friends locally that always had my back

The third book in the series, and just as good as its predecessors. This book follows Sadie, the actress with a new action movie she’s starring in. The first day of filming she is surprised to find her stunt coordinator is Bo, her first love...only love actually. Bo and Sadie’s relationship is physically rekindled easily, but to make things work between them they both need to confess all the truths about what happened 11 years before. It’s a story of second chances, forgiveness, understanding, and fate.

I just love this series and can’t wait for more.

Once Upon a Bad Boy is the 3rd installment in the Sometimes in Love series. There was a bit too much sex for my personal preference and I found the story to be lacking as compared to the first 2 in the series. But I did enjoy the book and am giving it 4 stars. Wonder what/who will be next.

A big thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley and Ms. Johnson for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sadie has finally gotten the part in a movie that she has worked so hard to get to prove to everyone that she is more than just a spoiled rich girl. When she goes to her first meeting for the movie, she is taken by surprise that the man who will be the stunt coordinator is none other than Bo, her first love. Will they be able to work together as just coworkers, or will the sparks fly again, leading them to a second chance?

Great character development with some crossover from the two previous books. A fun read!