Title:Bad Girlfriend (First and Last #4)
Author: Kirsten DeMuzio
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Brooke Mills has only ever wanted to be loved. The product of a teenage pregnancy and raised by her grandmother, Brooke went looking for love in all the wrong places. She has been the other woman or someone’s dirty little secret more times than she cares to admit. When Brooke’s questionable judgment lands her in the bed of her new neighbor, it’s the wakeup call she needs to change her ways. With the help of her friends, Brooke is determined to find a nice guy.
Adam Branigan is new in town, and despite the way he and Brooke met, Adam knows there’s more to the beautiful redhead than meets the eye. He wants to be the guy to show Brooke that she deserves more than late night booty calls. But will outside pressures and past relationships conspire to keep them apart?
**This book is intended for a mature audience, age 18 and older, due to language and explicit content.
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Review
Bad Girlfriend…there are multiple meanings to this phrase. A girlfriend can be considered “bad” because she’s too clingy…has too high of expectations…is controlling and jealous…cheats on her boyfriend. For Brooke Mills, though, the reason she’s a bad girlfriend is not because of anything she does but what she allows to be done to her. At 23 years old, Brooke has had her fair share of boyfriends, but she always picks the wrong ones. Rockers or bikers with tattoos and bad manners seem to be the ones she flocks to, and they always take what they want from her without giving anything in return. Brooke’s need for love and acceptance keeps her making bad decision after bad decision, but with the help of her friends and their “list of rules for dating,” Brooke may just find the one she never left she could have.
Adam Branigan is the nerdy but sexy new elementary school principal who just happens to be renting the studio apartment above Brooke’s grandmother’s house. He’s nothing like any of the men Brooke has dated before, but maybe that’s just what she needs. Adam is attentive and caring; he has all of the qualities that Brooke’s best friends’ partners have…the ones she’s always been jealous of, but Brooke’s small town reputation and low self-esteem threaten Adam and Brooke’s blossoming relationship…add a couple of exes in the mix and gossiping residents, and Brooke’s bad girlfriend lifestyle may be all she ever has for the future.
Bad Girlfriend has all of the common characteristics of a contemporary romance, but why I enjoyed Kirsten DeMuzio’s text more so than others is because of her choice of hero. I love that Adam is the good guy; yes, he may seem too good to be true, but the way he stands up for Brooke and shows her every day that she’s not the woman she perceives herself to be is refreshing. The characters from the series are all very likeable. I’d love to be friends with Brooke’s group; they look out for each other and aren’t afraid to give hard truths when needed. Although it’s a fictional story, there are realistic issues at play; Brooke’s insecurities are the same as many women, which readers connect with. The fact that it’s told through both Adam and Brooke’s point of views adds to the storyline; it’s always better to see both sides of the story because there’s never a question of what the other main character is thinking/feeling. Overall, Bad Girlfriend is a sweet and romantic story that explores the idea that the good guy might just finish first.
4 poison apples
Excerpt – Leah & Lindsay’s Rules for Dating
Leah & Lindsay’s Rules for Dating
1. Real first date
2. No kissing on the first date
3. No sex until the sixth date
4. No sex until an exclusive relationship has been established
5. You come first
I had to laugh at the last rule. Leah took the paper back from me and folded it into a small square. Then she tucked the square of paper down my shirt and right inside my bra.
“Hey! What are you doing?”
“You have to keep this with you at all times. Read it often so you remember what you’re supposed to do. You never know when you’ll meet the guy.”
I adjusted the paper so it wasn’t poking my boob. “Okay,” I reluctantly agreed.
Leah pointed her slim finger in my face. “And, you have to show this list of rules to any guy that asks you out. If he can’t agree to all five rules, then you have to say no to the date.”
My eyes widened at the thought of whipping this paper out of my bra and showing it to a guy. “That’s going to scare everyone away,” I protested.
Leah planted her hands on her hips. “Exactly. Only the guys who are truly interested in getting to know you will stick around.”
I looked at her incredulously. “I’m going to be single and celibate for the rest of my life,” I whined.
Bad Girlfriend Playlist
Good Girl – Carrie Underwood
Could It Be – Charlie Worsham
Won’t Go Home Without You – Maroon 5
Whatever She’s Got – David Nail
Take Me There – Rascal Flatts
Don’t You Wanna Stay (with Kelly Clarkson) – Jason Aldean
Begin Again – Taylor Swift
Wild In Your Smile – Dustin Lynch
Just a Kiss – Lady Antebellum
Crash My Party – Luke Bryan
Reasons To Love You – Meiko
Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right – Billy Currington
Your Body is a Wonderland – John Mayer
Crazy Girl – Eli Young Band
I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
Mirrors – Justin Timberlake
She’s Everything – Brad Paisley
Then – Brad Paisley
About the Author
I am an author of new adult and contemporary romance novels. My husband and I live in Columbus, Ohio with our two young daughters and happy golden retriever. When I’m not spending time with my family, I can be found doing one of my other favorite activities – writing, reading and napping.
Connect with Kirsten: Facebook | Blog | Goodreads | Pinterest
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