Well. It sure looks like all the beasties from this series are meeting their matches, but one thing remains the same. Their genuine friendship!

Cassie and Bo come from different sides of society. That doesn't mean that they are unable to become close and loyal friends which turn into a romance.

Unfortunately, the social barriers push Bo into making a decision which he thinks is for the best. They haven't been in touch for over a decade, but when Cassie lands her dream role in a big forthcoming movie, they are put in each other's path once again.

Their reunion is a little awkward, but they soon find out that their once sizzling chemistry hasn't waned. Nothing is easy. The good and bad from the past make them weary of each other, even when on the surface, everything feels so natural. Normal. There is a secret that Cassie has kept locked away. This secret could make or break them! Can they face accept what's happened and move forward?

Bo is hard working, and loyal. He has now matured into a responsible adult. Cassie is determined to prove that she can make it on her own, despite the rumours from the media. She is strong, adventurous and loving.

I like the concept and my heart goes out to them for the decision they made. Especially Cassie. Gosh, it must have been hard for her. What I really like about them is the ease of their childhood's friendship which blossomed into a beautiful romance. There is a lot of hardship, even a bout of green envy and deceit. They are an adorable couple and the fairy tale ending is a dream come true.

I was kindly issued with an eARC from Netgalley and the views expressed are my personal opinion.

This was enjoyable but I think I still prefer the first in the series. Sadie is a fun character and her romance with Bo was sweet if not a little strange. Would have preferred more narration from Bo's point of view. The romance was there but the descriptive sexy time didn't hit home for me here.

I feel bad for anyone who has to cut a donut in half in order to enjoy it.

Sadie has been working hard to stop rumors about her life. Bo is just making sure that everybody knows that he has made something out of his life. This is a really cute love story of actors and stunt people working together in and out of the bed.

Sometimes In Love series
Actress Sadie Goldovitz has landed her dream role and is working very hard at nailing the part.....too bad a blast from her past is heading her way and is going to knock her for a loop.
Bo Ibarra, that blast from the past, her first and only love is now a stunt coordinator on the set of this movie that is so important to her...and him, it's his chance to show his partner he is ready to run the show by himself.
Together they work hard to succeed, bring back all the reminders of what was so good in their relationship....before things conspired against them.
Written with humor, sweetness, and a lot of steam, this contemporary romance delivers an intriguing tale with a HEA ending.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse and offer my honest opinion.

What I like about this book was the characters. Both Sadie and Bo were really believable. I liked the story but at times it felt a little awkward. Overall this was a very good book and I love the flow of the writing.

I devoured the first two books in this series and finished this one just a quickly. Liked getting to finally read Sadie's story, she was my favorite side character in the other books.

Title: Once Upon a Bad Boy
(Sometimes in Love #3)
Author: Melonie Johnson
Reviewer: Lorraine Leatham - Rainey Day Book Reviews
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley but all opinions provided are my own.

​I love the idea of a female action hero. I don't believe I have read a book with characters such as these.

I found the premise of Melonie Johnson’s: Once Upon a Bad Boy to be interesting. Sadie Gold is an actress who comes from money but wishes to be known for her work not get family connections. she has a starring role as an action hero in what’s sure to be a blockbuster film. To her utter shock, she realizes the stunt coordinator on set is Bo Ibarra, the man she grew up with and broke her heart over a decade ago.

This was my first book by this author and I will be on the lookout for more. Johnson is a talented writer and I enjoyed the evolution of Sadie and Bo’s relationship. This was a nice second chance story.

Definitely a cute story about fate and seconds chances. The intense connection between the childhood sweethearts was immediate and it was hard to ignore how well they fit together. A nice read with well blended characters and promising premise

I’m newly obsessed with Melonie Johnson! Her characters are always strong and the storylines are great. Even her secondary characters come off the page. Love her!!

"Once Upon a Bad Boy" is my third book from Melonie Johnson. I have been enjoying her books so much and can't wait to read more. I really hope she continues writing books containing the characters she has already introduced in the books. These are light, easy romance books and so fun to read.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. Sadie has finally gotten the role that will make her career. She is not expecting the man in charge of training her for the role to be her first boyfriend, Bo. Can they work through their past to create a future? It was fun and heartwarming to read about these two reconnecting and opening up to each other. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I just found a new author! I loved Sadie and Bo. The story was so easy to get into and an enjoyable read. Well done.

Once Upon a Bad Boy is the third book in Melonie's new series. Sadie and Bo are given a second chance at romance after being apart for eleven years. Sadie is keeping a secret from him that changes everything and Bo doesn't want her to know the truth behind why he ended things between them abruptly so many years ago. They have a lot to work through but their undeniable chemistry is still as strong as ever. But will that be enough>?

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley but all opinions provided are my own.

​I love a female action hero. Those characters resonate with me now more than ever, thanks to the largest biceps I’ve ever had—courtesy of carting around my giant babies.

So maybe it’s no surprise that I found the premise of Melonie Johnson’s Once Upon a Bad Boy to be delightful: Sadie Gold has just received the role of a lifetime, starring as an action hero in what’s sure to be a blockbuster film. To her shock, she realizes that the stunt coordinator on set is none other than Bo Ibarra, the man she grew up with and who broke her heart over a decade ago.

They both have secrets that they’re holding onto; will they break them apart for good?

This was my first Melonie Johnson book, and *cue dramatic voice*: it won’t be my last. It was hot and passionate. It was a celebration of female friendship, with friends who support one another and also tease, which rang authentic to me. And Johnson is a skilled writer, thoughtfully rendering the evolution of Sadie and Bo’s relationship (and beautifully showing how their feelings were/are possible of existing over a period of time, despite their years apart) and writing thrilling stunt scenes that are exciting and cinematic. They felt behinds-the-scenes-ish.

One last impressive aspect of the book is how Johnson handles Sadie’s revelation to Bo. Content warning ahead:
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Johnson handled the topic of a past abortion adeptly and admirably, portraying how painful Sadie still found the subject, but also how she was certain that she made the right decision for herself. I appreciated how Johnson made it clear that it was possible for both of those things to be true.
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Once Upon a Bad Boy is really good romance. Sign me up for more! (Also, I’d like to watch Sadie’s movie IRL).

Q: Who is your favorite female action hero? I'm a hugeeee fan of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. Does that count if she's a superhero?

Pretty good. Seemed long. Parts I didn’t love... 3.5 Stars
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I have to admit, I had a bit of a love/irritation moments with this book. I loved a lot of it. But there were some factors that I did not care for too.

Bo - Definitely a great character. Hot, sexy, and so in love with Sadie. But he had problems as a teen and reasons for letting her go.

Sadie - I actually enjoyed Sadie's character quite a bit. She is a great match for him and cares for him deeply. However, the author chose to have her do something that I have a huge problem with and without any spoilers, let's just say that conversation is a huge plus.

There were also a few instances that really bothers me about her relationship with Bo's sister. Plus, there was a something going on years ago that was never developed and that bugged me too.

Johnson is an awesome story teller and knows how to write the sexy reads we love. This story has all of the earmarks of a fabulous read, but I got caught up in some nagging details that I could not let go.

Overall, this book is perfect for anyone that loves the second chance romance storyline. Sweet, hot, and dreamy! I rate it 3.5 stars.

This is the third in Melonie Johnson'sThis is the third in Melonie Johnson's Sometimes in Love series and it's a sweet read about second chances in love.

Sadie is Hollywood royalty, an actress in her own right, and trying to make a name for herself outside of her famous family. Bo is the boy she saw during the summers when she'd visit her grandmother's ranch. As Bo's mother was the ranch's veterinarian and his father managed the ranch.

But Bo and Sadie were from different worlds. Even though they fell in love as teens, Bo quickly ended their relationship after he realized they could never work, being from different socioeconomic worlds.

Ten years later, Sadie is working on a film that will hopefully solidify her as an actress in her own right. Move beyond the world of soap operas. And the stunt coordinator is none other than Bo. Their attraction is stronger than ever and they try to maneuver their new relationship, especially with them both being on set where they probably shouldn't have a relationship. In addition, they still need to talk about the past, as there's more to the story than meets the eye.

Once Upon a Bad Boy is a cute second chances romance. It's not going to win a Pulitzer but it's entertaining, I like the characters, and want them to be together. In fact, I'm rooting for them. The one issue I have, as others have mentioned, is Bo's last name: Ibarra - which comes from his mother's side, not his father's Irish side. This could have been easily cleared up if there was a sentence about Bo's parents taking the wife's last name. It just rings weird since our society is one that typically is patrilinear. Not that I believe folks can't take the woman's last name, they absolutely can and I'm all for it. It's just not a cultural norm in the US, and hence why it was weird when it wasn't explained in a book that takes place in the US.

My first Melonie Johnson book was an absolute delight to read. She has a way with words that had me addicted to the page.

Another amazing book by Melonie Johnson! I felt like Sadie's friend from halfway through the first chapter and I was rooting SO HARD for her to get her Friday donut! :D
I really enjoyed Bo's character although his sister Luna felt quite flat and uninteresting. I was impressed with the character growth and progression, especially in context of Sadie's abortion, but I did feel that the abortion talk was a bit overstated (like it felt like she was constantly having to justify it to herself rather than just accepting that it happened and move on). That being said - I really enjoyed how realistic and practical this book dealt with the whole topic of teenage pregnancy and abortion. As a Canadian, our society isn't as hardcore as America is in regards to "all people who have abortions are wrong", so I don't have any of that societal garbage to wade through.
I must say - I do absolutely adore Sadie's Nana. Would you maybe consider writing a book about her?
But seriously - GREAT book!!!

Emotional, heart wringer love story that gives you all of the feels. I cried, I laughed, I cried some more, then I got mad and then my heart broke for this exceptional couple and I wondered how they had survived. Sometimes you have to go thru all of that to get to the good. 💓💔💓💞💞

Great book about second chance in love. Bo and Sadie are from opposite world but the attraction between them is stronger than everything. Can’t stop reading until the end.