Review & Excerpt: WHAT TO DO WITH A BAD BOY by Marie Harte

WHAT IS WITH MIKE McCAULEY?

Every time Delilah Webster runs into Mike McCauley, he practically bites her head off. The rough-and-tumble contractor clearly has baggage. Del has her own emotional scars and knows she’s better off keeping her distance, but Mike’s temptation in jeans and a T-shirt and she’s always been good with her hands…

There’s something about the strong-willed mechanic that sets Mike’s motor running—and scares the hell out of him. Mike has loved and lost and will never hurt like that again, even if that means walking away from a woman who makes him feel alive for the first time in years.

When a simple kiss turns hot and heavy, Mike discovers he can’t stay away, no matter how certain he is they’re destined to crash and burn…

Excerpt:

He leaned down, so that his nose was all but touching hers. “Sweetheart, you couldn’t handle what I’m really made of.”

Stupid Del wanted to drag his stubborn mouth closer for the kiss she could all but taste. From the look in his eyes, he wanted the same. Mike might not like her much, but the man wanted her. She could feel the chemistry between them, and it burned.

Self-preservation reared its head, and she ducked under him and hustled to the door leading to the hall. She opened it and waited. “Don’t let it hit you in the ass, Mike.”

He chuckled as he sauntered to join her. “You’ll watch what you say around Colin?”

“Yep. When I see him Wednesday night, I promise to call you a buttwipe instead of an asshole. Fair?”

He sighed. “Guess it’ll have to do. For now.” To her shock, he dragged a rough finger down her exposed neck. “Nice hair, by the way. I like the braids pulled back. Shows off your pretty neck. No tats here, sweetness?”

She didn’t know what to say, frozen by the combustible lust and confusion drowning her system.

He stared into her eyes again, gave a satisfied smile, then left.

She watched his fine ass leave the building, heard a few choice remarks from the guys in the garage who also watched him leave, and yelled at them to get back to work. Then she slammed into her office and plopped her butt in her chair, staring without seeing at the mess on her desk.

She rubbed her neck over the spot he’d touched and tried to be madder about what he’d done. What he’d called her.

Sweetness?

My Review:

Why did I want to read this book?

Del and Mike were practically ready to combust in the previous book with all that chemistry and sexual tension between them. And it’s always great to read about a couple who starts out biting each other’s head off. You wonder on all those possible scenarios that might bring them closer together.

What worked for me?

I just love that for me, Del and Mike are that perfectly imperfect match just waiting to happen. They’ve been dancing around each other for a while, hiding their attraction to each other behind a bunch of stuff like annoyance, irritation, and antagonism. But when they finally fall into each other, at least in bed at the beginning, you know it will just roll and roll until hooking up turns into something more permanent and lasting.

I actually really like the part in the story where Del seems to be the opposite of everything Mike’s wife, who died at childbirth, had been. Comparison is always going to happen in this type of set-up but I appreciate how Mike was able to go through with this himself. And I love that he realized in the end that it wasn’t a choice as much as it was him enjoying more love in his life. As for Del, you’ve got to love a bad-ass girl. She seems tough. She is tough. But there’s also that showing of the vulnerable side to her character that is very easy to relate to as well.

What did not work for me?

There were a few minor details in the story that could have been done away with, sometimes because it was too cliche or that it was too irritating (I’m looking at you, clingy-single-mom-wanting-to-hook-her-claws-on-Mike!) or sometimes seemed a little out of pace with the rest of the story.

My over-all take on it?

This is another sexy as well as heartwarming romance from author Marie Harte. The last of the McCauley brothers got hitched and what a fitting love story for Mike and Del. For fans of the series, you’ll be happy to note that all of the characters in the previous books definitely make an appearance here.

My rating:

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Yes, these are my honest and personal thoughts on this book.

About the Author:

Caffeine addict, boy referee, and romance aficionado, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Marie Harte is a confessed bibliophile and devotee of action movies. Whether hiking in Central Oregon, biking around town, or hanging at the local tea shop, she’s constantly plotting to give everyone a happily ever after. Visit http://www.marieharte.com and fall in love.