Not having read the first two books in the series did not deter from my enjoyment of the overall story. With just enough backstory to keep any confusion at bay, I was able to pick up the thread of the series fairly quickly.

Even though there was chemistry, humor...a lot of snark and sass (which I like) from the secondary characters, as well as between Noah and Paige, I just couldn't get into the relationship between the two. The story was well written and moved along very smoothly, but I had a hard time completing the book...though I did and thoroughly enjoyed the HEA ending...I'm glad I stuck it out until the end.

This ARC book was provided by the Publisher and Netgally, I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

This is technically book three of the Behind The Bar series, but it completely stands alone. That said, you really should read the first two books because they are fabulous, and because they will introduce you to Des & Gracie (who aren't in this one very much), and Paul & Libby who play a nice part in this story. This story does not end on a cliffhanger, but there is both cursing and on-screen sex, so if those will cause you to leave a bad review of the book, you should skip this one.

I loved both of the previous books in this series and was intrigued by Noah when we met him in Pretend It's Love, so I was thrilled to find out that he was getting his own book. Noah is a guy who had a difficult past, and is damaged because of it. Paige is a woman who is struggling to find her place in an unwelcoming new city. When she walks into the bar/restaurant/coffee bar known as “First” and meets Noah, she starts to realize that she might just belong in the big city after all.

I am so incredibly sad that this will be the last trip to First to visit with the amazing characters there. Stefanie London has an incredible way of writing characters that as a reader, I just want to be friends with. I would happily hang out at First, and be friends with these characters even though I don't drink coffee or alcohol. I loved the interactions between Noah and Paige. Their chemistry between them was undeniable from the very beginning, even though Noah was too stubborn to admit it. And that first kiss? Was a total 'WOW' moment for me because it showed just how explosively hot they would be together (and they were). Although there is some really hot sex in this book, that isn't the main focus. There is none of the “having tons of sex = falling in love” that is prevalent in so many books these days, Paige and Noah actually develop a relationship – a friendship – that is really fun to watch grow.

If you like a book that has humor, romance, and sexual chemistry, and that focuses on incredibly likable but slightly imperfect characters who just flat out belong together, you definitely should read this book and this entire series.

I requested and was generously granted an ARC of this book via NetGalley. I was under absolutely no obligation to write this review or to pre-order this book. I did both things because I enjoyed it that much.

The cover of Betting the Bad Boy by Stefanie London is bright and caught my attention right away. The synopsis lured me into reading. This is the first novel I’ve read of London. It’s written in third person point of view. It’s definitely intended for mature readers who like some spice in their stories.

The title describes perfectly the story of Paige and Noah. After a mistake at work Paige loses her job and ends up working for bad boy Noah at a bar/coffee shop. Paige bets Noah that she can stay away and not give into the attraction she feels. Noah accepts the bet and doesn’t make it easy.

I really liked their banter, how Noah teased Paige and waited to see how far he could push to get a reaction. London created a great bold character in Noah. The drawback for me; I felt like I needed to know more about their past. You get a lot of great facts but I felt like there is so much more to explore. Noah could even have another story all to himself about growing up in the foster system. Despite my need for more background information, I liked how the story progressed. How Noah and Paige grew as their relationship advanced.

Betting the Bad Boy was a fun sexy read.

A decent quick read that will satisfy your "pool side read" desire. Emotional and somewhat heavy, so just be ready!

Betting the Bad Boy by Stefanie London is scheduled to be released on May 8, 2017 by Entangled Publishing, LLC and is a romance novel. I really enjoyed reading this book because it is a great light hearted book with plenty of romance. The main character in this book is Paige. She comes from a very small town but decides to move to Melbourne after getting her college degree. She is determined to make it on her own and failure is not an option for her. At the beginning, she is living with her best friend, but she is moving out soon to live with her boyfriend. This move will leave Paige not only without a roommate but jobless as well. This is where she happens to be in the right place at the right time and gets mistaken for the next job applicant at a small coffee café. Here she meets Noah while being interviewed. When she admits that she isn’t the applicant he kind of blows her off. She then bets him she can make him the best cup of coffee he’s ever had. Noah bounced around the foster home system while growing up and this has made him fear commitment. This fear makes his attraction with Paige even harder. This I feel is why Noah and Paige bet their way through many of the things they face both with flirting and maybe a relationship. The writer creates a lot of back and forth between Noah and Paige. This competiveness is what makes this romance novel one to read. I really enjoyed reading London’s book and look forward to more

loved it

Sigh

Paige is job hunting, but without any luck. She walks into First for a coffee and a break from job hunting, and leaves with a job as their barista.
Noah is managing First for his friend Des for a month, while he decides if he wants to take on the job of the manager at their second cafe.
Noah is a total commitment phobic, while Paige wants the whole nine yards with a white picket fence.
This was a fantastic read that kept me smiling throughout with its wit and humor. Paige bets Noah that she can resist him, but with heat simmering between them, I knew when they give in it will be fireworks.
A highly enjoyable read.

* Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review*
Betting the Bad Boy was really cute and funny! I enjoyed reading this book a lot. The banter between Noah and Paige was perfect and chemistry felt so natural between them. Noah is a bad boy with a heart of gold and a dirty mouth. Paige is the good country girl who is a little naive and stubborn. She makes him realize settling down with someone isn't so scary and it's okay to want more in life and he helps her realize that there is no such thing as perfection and it's okay to live in the moment and just simply enjoy life. They make a great couple and I felt like the book moved along at a good pace. This is the first time I have read anything by this author and I am excited to check out her other books. I recommend this book if you are looking for a cute and funny romance!

I loved this book. A great light hearted read, plenty of romance, a little angst and coffee. Doesn't get much better than that.
Paige always the good girl from a small town comes to Melbourne, college degree in hand and is trying to find a job. She's a bit rigid and knows what she wants for her future and failure is not an option. She doesn't want to be the girl who goes home unable to make it. She's living with a friend who is now going to move in with her boyfriend and Paige is still jobless. Stopping in to get coffee at a local cafe, they just happen to be hiring a barista. When Noah mistakes her for the next job applicant, she wings it. When she admits that she isn't the applicant he kind of blows her off, but she bets him she can make him the best cup of coffee he's ever had. Since her family owned a cafe, Paige can handle any kind of coffee. Des has left Noah in charge of running First, Paul and Libby are busy doing their mixology. Des and Gracie (book one) are on vacation and Des is grooming Noah to run a second cafe he wants to open. Noah has huge commitment issues due to his upbringing; having been bounced around the foster home system. He refuses I think for fear of failure among other things. Many of the same reasons he refuses to have a relationship although he wants Paige in the worst way. It's cute the way these two bet their way through many things. Their seriously competitive.
Noah's last family left him with 3 sisters he still has a relationship with, but not his foster parents. Noah left their and never looked back after an incident you need to read to understand the dynamic.
Paige finally caves into her desire for Noah and Noah is happier than a pig in proverbial poop. Until she tries to talk to him about it. And there is where my review ends because you really need to read this book to appreciate the full story. It's a good read and one I think many can relate to.
I read this book in one sitting. Stefanie writes a great story and this one is no exception.
Nice work Stefanie!! I loved it.

**arc from NetGalley and Entangled in exchange for a fair review**

I tried with this story, but it just wasn't for me.. I wish I could have given a different review, but I just couldn't connect with it

This one was just okay for me. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and didn't really feel their connection with each other, either. I thought the plot was cute, and I liked the characters' backstories, but the rest fell a little short for me. With that being said, the book is well written--no weird storyline gaps or out-of-character actions going on. So, I would recommend this book to others; just because I didn't personally connect with these characters doesn't mean someone else wouldn't feel a deep connection. And I certainly laughed out loud more than once, which alone made this worth reading.

This is a fun and sexy romp that I just loved. Paige is still nursing her wounds from a date gone awry that had a long lasting impact. It leads her desperately searching for a new job as an accountant, but without much luck. After one poor interview, she pops into First for a much needed cup of coffee and meets Noah, who mistakes her for someone else. One thing leads to another, and soon she's working there as a barista.

They have an immediate attraction, but Paige wants a committed relationship and Noah won't commit to more than a night. What follows is an entertaining romance that fans of the genre will love. This novel made me smile and root for them to find their happily ever after, even while smiling at the situations they got themselves into.

While part of a series, this is a stand alone novel, however, it's so good that you really owe it to yourself to read them all. The author is on my must read authors' list.