New Release + Giveaway: Welcoming the Bad Boy by Annie Rains

Griffin is going to need all his old tricks to unleash her wild side.

WELCOMING THE BAD BOY

Hero's Welcome #3

Annie Rains

Releasing August 2nd, 2016

Loveswept

From the bestselling author of Welcome to Forever (“Full of heart and emotion!”—Lori Wilde) comes a sweet, sexy novel about breaking all the rules. In Seaside, North Carolina, the boys on the base are heroes—but that doesn’t mean they’re always well-behaved.

As a preacher’s daughter, Valerie Hunt only dates the very respectable, very boring men who meet her father’s strict standards. In private, however, she leads a double life as a romance writer of steamy stories about the least respectable sorts of men. Valerie has always kept her hottest fantasies separate from her real life, but when she nearly runs a hot-blooded biker off the road, the lines begin to blur.

Even though Valerie almost killed him, Griffin Black can’t be angry after he learns the reason for her distracted driving: an unruly puppy belonging to her ailing friend. As a member of the military police K-9 unit, Griffin insists on training the dog himself. But he soon wonders how he’s ever going to stay disciplined around the most alluring, down-to-earth, and totally unattainable woman he’s ever met. Valerie is the ultimate good girl. And Griffin is going to need all his old tricks to unleash her wild side.

 BUY NOW

Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo

MY THOUGHTS

Having read the previous two entries in the Welcome Heroes series, I was excited to continue with another story set in the fictional military town of Seaside, NC. As the daughter of a preacher, Val has always felt the pressure to live up to her father's high standards. A school secretary by day, Val writes romance novels under a pseudonym by night, knowing it would be looked down upon by her father. Griffin has just moved his estranged mother to a nursing home in Seaside and has no interest in a serious relationship. But when these two come together they both find the unexpected.

Val feels suffocated by her role as preacher's daughter and the type of men her father would find suitable. Meeting Griffin at a time when she's in serious need of inspiration for her novel seems like perfect timing. Meanwhile Griffin, a military police officer with the K-9 unit, has his hands full with work and his mother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's. Brought together again and again by the dog Val is caring for and by her volunteer work at the nursing home where Griffin's mother is living, the two enter into a summer fling. While I never saw any evidence of Griffin being a "bad boy" (do tattoos and a motorcycle automatically make a bad boy?), I enjoyed watching these two characters come together. Griffin in particular was an empathetic character. His interactions with his mother were heartbreaking and emotional. I loved the evolution of Griffin and Val's relationship and watching as they reached their happy ever after.

Welcoming the Bad Boy was another thoroughly enjoyable entry in the Welcome Heroes series. Readers (and dog lovers!) who like their romance on the sweet and light side will love this one.

Welcoming the Bad Boy is the third in a series but can easily be read as a stand-alone. 

EXCERPT

Her body slid behind his, spooning him. She wrapped her arms around his torso, clutching him tight, and he took off down the road. The rain beat against his skin, attempting to cleanse him, but there was no wiping away the dirty thoughts going through his mind. He took the long way back to his place to feel her against him longer, and to try to wrangle his desire so he wouldn’t be tempted to take her straight to bed when they arrived.

He slowed to a stop behind a stop sign and glanced over his shoulder to look at her. Her hand slid down from his waist and into the front of his jeans. Fuck. He’d heard preachers’ daughters were wild, but he’d thought it was a myth. With her hand snug against him he turned left and pressed the gas, heading home. Trooper was waiting. And he needed to get his mouth on this woman, to kiss her stupid and hope her hands continued exploring.

He pulled into his driveway and helped her off as the rain began to fall harder. She didn’t squeal and run toward his covered porch the way some women would. Instead, she stared at him as he lifted the helmet off her head. She didn’t flinch as her shirt began to stick to her in all the right places. He leaned toward her, cupping his hands around her face and leading her mouth to his. She melted against him, sealing her wet body to his. Damn. Her lips were soft, the kiss hungry, devouring him like he was the best thing she’d put in her mouth all day.

“I want you,” he said, pulling back from her mouth, but continuing to hold her. The words were meant to be a warning. “I want you so fucking much.” He half expected her to slap him. They barely knew each other. She had a wild streak and a smart mouth, but overall he thought she was the good-girl type. Not the type to give herself so easily. Even if he could’ve sworn she was ready the other night.

“Take me inside,” she said, going up on her toes and kissing him again, wrapping her hands around the back of his head, pressing her body tighter against him. “We’re getting wet out here.”

The rain. She was talking about the rain. A nice guy would escort her inside and help her get dried off. Which was exactly what he intended to do. But he didn’t plan on stopping there. 

Annie Rains is a contemporary romance author who writes small town love stories set in fictional towns on the coast of North Carolina. Raised in one of America’s largest military communities, Annie often features heroes who fight for their countries, while also fighting for a place to call home and a good woman to love. When Annie isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her husband and 3 children, or reading a book by one of her favorite authors.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Looking for more Hero's?

a Rafflecopter giveaway