BAD REPUTATION BY NICOLE EDWARDS
Solid 4.25
So I'm a pretty tough reviewer, please know this is a fantastic rating for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Friends to lovers and even though you know what's coming you just can't wait to get there. Cassie and Chase are well developed and are now one of my favorite couples. Their story is one of swoon and heat!

Bad Reputation isn't complex, plot heavy, nor is it life changing. What it is- it's a light , joyful, simple read that will leave you with a smile on your face when you finish.

The author spends the first 20% letting the reader get a glimpse into Chase and Cassie's life- together and independent of each other. But are they really, independent? When Cassie's life crumbles around her from her own self induced implosion she is left with one thing, albeit a 6'5 male It's what's been standing in the precipice the entire time, she just didn't realize it. Not many characters can get away with this level of cockiness but good lord Chase! His level of entitlement with Cassie is over the top cocky but you will love every single minute of it. He is so accustomed to and caught up in living the life in fame and what everyone expects of him that it keeps him in his world of denial. Cassie has kept herself so busy with life she isn't just in denial over Chase but her entire life. When every horrible thing that Cassie could ever imagine happens what will she do? What will Chase do? Their friendship is perfection what would happen if they realize their feelings for each other?

In usual Nicole Edwards form the book is hot. You should definitely bump this one up to read as soon as you can.

I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book!!! This is a best friends turned lovers kind of story that is perfect through and through. The romance was pure beauty and the characters were delightful.

Chase is a famous NHL player that people paint as a "bad boy" because of his player status. He's also a guy with a bad temper. Everything about him screamed sin, which also happened to be his nickname. Chase may have been portrayed to his fan as a bad boy, but he was an amazing guy. He was funny, dominant, knew how to have fun and enjoyed life as it came.

Cassie is an important VP and doesn't know when to stop working. She does know how to have fun though. She was kind, socially awkward around men and didn't have much luck with them. I enjoyed her craziness that seemed to come out when she was around Chase and her friend Natalie.

A drunk night in Vegas changes Chase and Cassie's friendship forever. The two of them were opposities yet still the same. They secretly loved one another but didn't want to mess up their friendship. They were just amazing together when things finally hit off between them. I mean sparks, flames, stars and all. They were perfect.

Loved the ending, loved the drama, loved the denial they had. Great read and totally recommend it.

Chase is that stereotypical bad boy in sports. He is player both on and off the ice and doesn’t have time for a girlfriend. He has his friends on the team and his best friend Cassie who helps keep him grounded.

But things change when they take a trip to Las Vegas. This is the place where they say what happens there, stays there. Well that is not the case for Cassie and Chase. Alcohol gets involved and decisions are made that force them to wonder what it would be like if they were in a relationship with one another.

There are times when it’s a bit rushed and predictable. Obviously they aren’t going to want to ruin the friendship by going into a relationship. Makes sense. For me, the part that I had a hard time accepting was the turmoil of the story. It felt forced because of course every story needs to have a turmoil. I would have liked to have seen more then what we got.

The romance part of the story is steamy enough to melt the ice. Chase awakens something in Cassie that lights their love life on fire and we get to see the results of that. This is the part of romance stories that make or break a story and thankfully Nicole Edwards does not disappoint.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

...and honestly I loved it. I was introduced to Ms. Edwards by the Walker brothers (I loved that series too) and was excited when I saw a free arc being offered thru NetGalley and that I was eligible to receive it. Although tagged as a sport book, the fact that the male lead is a hockey player does not figure much into the story and was not important. The two leads Cassie and Chase have been best friends for years but Chase at least is willing to admit to us that he loves her beyond their friendship. It (the story) was told from the point of view of the two main characters and we are privy to their innermost thoughts. Their friendship moves beyond the normal while at a business trip in Vegas. Where too much booze leads to a drunken marriage in a wedding chapel. Once back home they embark on their sexual journey which ultimately leads to a minor misunderstanding and the truth of their love for one another. It was refreshing to see that Chase was open about his feelings for Cassie and that she was the one who had issues because of her mother. I loved the epilogue and the characters of Natalie and Marky Mark. A must read.

So this time I did things I little different, I decided to try something new, I wrote my thoughts on the book as I was reading it and not after I finished the whole thing. This is how it went, every time I read a bit I wrote my thoughts on it, not necessarily right after (I started this book right after I finished Drunk Dial, in the early a.m. and when I put it down I went right off to sleep), so I just wrote before I picked it up again.

Ok, right off the bat you get to know the main characters in the book and their background together. And you get the feel what the book is gonna be about. Of course you'd already know from reading the blurb, duuh! Spoiler alert: it's one of my favorites, best friends to lovers!!
My feeling so far are: Chase is an actual nice guy pretending to be a huge jerk and womanizer but in reality he isn't, at least not as much as he makes himself to be. Cassie is getting on my nerves, I don't really like her so far, she's Chase's best friend but the way she talks about him and just doesn't know the real REAL Chase doesn't sit right with me! I get that he's been her only bff for YEARS and she hasn't let herself think about him as an actual male but they way she talks or just thinks about him sometimes, I seriously don't like it. She seems to be starting to think about it, since everyone can see that if they aren't in a romantic relationship yet, they will be someday and their not afraid to be vocal about it. Also, even though she's just not picturing the guy naked in the same room as her, you can tell every time she mentions him with girls, she's jealous, it's not obvious to anyone but us readers. I'm curious how their relationship will develop into more than friendship, I have a feeling it will be on their trip to Vegas and things are about to get real hot!! (I left off at 33%.)
Guess what I was totally right! Things got steamy in Vegas, but not only steamy, mistakes were made and things really went to shit for some of the characters. I won't got into great detail because I feel like I already did say to much and to those of you who don't like any type of spoilers might already be pissed at me for that. A lot happens in Vegas and after Vegas, things get complicated, relationship wise and among other things. Cassie managed to keep getting on my nerves throughout the rest of the book. I seriously disliked her sometimes. I just don't how she could be Chase's best friend and think so poorly of him sometimes, specially since he was the sweetest guy towards her, seriously he was perfect. She was the only one who couldn't see it or believe it and it just pissed me off. I felt really protective of Chase, he was such a good guy and Cassie was hurting him and that was not okay! I get that Cassie had all sorts of Mommy issues but that doesn't make it ok for her to hurt my baby Sin.
Anyway gotten that out of the way and my chest, this is a fast paced read, it's funny sometimes, sometimes sad or frustrating and the sexual scenes are HOT. I mean that, Chase and Cassie had years YEARS of sexual tension to release and boy did they!

This was the first book that I have read from this author, but will not be the last. The characters are so real as is the plot. Chase Barrett, other wise known as "Sin", is the bad boy hockey player, who sometimes spends more time in the penalty box than on the ice. He also has a reputation with the ladies. Which is why his best friend since college, Cassie Desrosiers, refuses to let her true feelings for him surface. Both have feelings for each, but won't voice them, because their friendship is too important and they won't risk losing it. Cassie is all work and barely any play, but because of her work ethic has worked her way high up in her company and is up for a promotion. She is asked to give the key note speech at a conference in Vegas and because it is between seasons, invites Chase to come along. Will something happen in Vegas to change their relationship? Does what happens in Vegas, really stay in Vegas? Read the book to find out.

I read an ARC of this enjoyable book, provided by the publisher, via netgalley.com

Requested and received an ARC from NetGalley

When I requested this I thought I would enjoy this far more than I did. I like friends to lovers, Vegas trips, hockey and drunken nuptials. Cassie and Chase are likeable, but the story is so focused on them and there's so little growth or character development, that the story itself is almost too simplistic. It would easily be an afternoon beach read with a simple plot and hot sex. For whatever reason I stopped reading just over halfway through and forgot about it entirely for over a month. The only reason I finished it was because I saw it was still on my shelf on NetGalley when I went to submit a review for a different book. I had to go back and skim the first half because I had no memory of it. None. It's a perfectly pleasant read, but there's nothing truly memorable about it other than the sex scenes, although I have to give kudos for the epilogue. Well done. For me this is the kind of book just made for KindleUnlimited...enjoyable to read but not necessarily one you'd have any desire to read again.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyed being introduced to a new to me author. I love sports romance and this one did not disappoint...the chemistry was there which kept me turning the page. Cannot wait to read more. Thank you!

Bad Reputation
Bad Boys of Sport #1
Nicole Edwards
4.5 Stars ✨

Another one that made it to my favorites list. A cute and sexy sports romance where What Happens in Vegas stays in Vegas isn't always the case. I love it when best friends turn into lovers. I can't wait to get my hands on more books by Nicole Edwards. She has a very easy to read writing style and you can get lost in her books right from the beginning.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

From the very first chapter I enjoyed this book. I found Sin to be funny and the relationship that he had with Cassie to be enjoyable. I always enjoy a good friends to lovers story, so this was up my alley. I do think that it wrapped up a bit too perfectly/quickly at the end, but part of that was because I didn't want it to be over.

This was my first Nicole Edwards novel, but I'm happy to say that it won't be my last. I enjoy sports romances, and this one was a friends to lovers story.

Both of the main characters, Chase and Cassie, were flawed in ways that made them more interesting. Chase as a bad boy of hockey was quite likable, and he complemented Cassie's slightly more uptight personality in a good way.

No spoilers here, but Chase really showed the depth of his feelings for his best friend turned lover when she needed him most, and that made him all the more attractive. Cassie's error in judgement, however, made her more human and approachable. This couple worked well together on many levels.

In addition to a good story, there was a lot of steam. Once this couple hit the sheets, they got busy, busy, busy. Whew!

Bottom line: you get two themes wrapped in one and that is sports and friends becoming lovers. It's a win-win situation for all readers.

While there is nothing wrong with this book, as I read it in one sitting, the constant use of "friend zone" was grating and often took me out of the story which I was enjoying.

I loved this book. The characters were fun to read about. The story was captivating. I would recommend this to anyone who asks for a GREAT book to read. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

This is the first book that I have read by this author but it won't be the last. I loved this story! I loved the chemistry between Chase and Cassie. They were wonderful together. Read this book..I highly recommend it.

Bad Reputation was a sweet, friends to lovers story with some smoking hot steamy scenes. Chase and Cassie have been friends for years, until one trip to Vegas changes things drastically. I loved Chase's character throughout the book, and both main characters were easy to relate to. And oh boy was their chemistry off the freaking charts. The book was funny, sweet, nostalgic, sexy and hopeful. This was my first Nicole Edwards book and I loved it. I read it in one sitting as I could not put it down. I can't wait to read more from this author!

This is the first book in this series by this author. This is a friends to lovers story which will have you hooked from the first page. This is a really fun sweet read with the added hunky hockey players. The characters in this book are really well developed and had fantastic banter between them. I really enjoyed the characters they made the story seem real. I can't wait to read more in this series and by this author in the future.
Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

I was quite enjoying this friends-to-lover story about a bad-boy hockey star and his best friend since college. Cassie is a brilliant, hard-working executive for some indeterminate tech firm. She and Chase have a great relationship. Then he accompanies her to Vegas for her firm’s big roll-out of their new product. And they act as people do in Vegas, or at least as book characters do in Vegas. I mean, if you have a couple in Las Vegas in a romance novel, you know what is going to happen.

Spoiler alert:

Then we’re supposed to believe that this very intelligent and dedicated, mature woman does something disastrously stupid. I didn’t buy it and, frankly, I didn’t enjoy reading about it. It was rather like a nightmare when something goes terribly wrong and you can’t stop it. Since it’s a romance, you know things are going to work out, but I really lost all patience with these characters for the mistake they made. I didn’t enjoy reading it as it happened or feel all that much for her after she made this mistake. I really just wanted to skip ahead to the ending and that isn’t what I read novels for. I just wish that Nicole Edwards had picked a different plotline to help this couple find their HEA.

I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable friends to lovers story. I will say I was expecting more of a bad boy in Chase but he was actually a really nice guy and I liked that about him. I love sports romance books and the ones that don't have a player H are always a nice surprise. Cassie was a likeable heroine. She was smart and beautiful, if maybe a little to prim. However, she sure loosened up when they finally got together. I'm not always sold on the friends to lovers scenario but the author did a good job with the reasons they were friends for so long. It made sense and worked for this book.

No cheating or abuse and very mild other woman/men drama. ARC provided by NetGalley.

This is my first Nicole Edwards book and I'll definitely be back for more!!

I love Chase and Cassie in this fun, sexy friends to lovers romance! Chase and Cassie are best friends in every sense of the word and I adored their relationship. Chase is one bad ass hockey player and Cassie is a brilliant executive and their friendship, then relationship, was amazing!

But when they go to Vegas.....all bets are off and this book gets hot as hell! I loved it!

Bad Reputation is a wonderful book and I look forward to more from Nicole Edwards!!

Friendship, love, fear....those are the things this book is based on. A hockey bad boy & a button upped corporate executive who are best friends move through their relationship with a definite ease until one working trip to Las Vegas turns everything on end for them. After a night spent drinking & coming up with stories for each couple they see in the hotel bar, Chase & Cassie unknowingly at first make a huge change to their relationship. Still unaware of the change to their relationship they embark on the physical aspect that they've been denying themselves but it has devastating consequences. Now with things changing the fear of losing the one most important person in their lives brings it all to a screeching halt & the admission that they never thought they'd make..... they did the unthinkable and fell in love. This book was very funny with Chase's devil may care personally & Cassie's need to egg Chase on & also how they each tried to find the perfect person for the other (with some hilarious situations). It was sweet in the love & friendship these two shared for so many years, and it was wonderfully heartbreaking when neither knew how to put their friendship back on track or how to tell the other how they really felt. I laughed, I cried & I didn't want to put this book down. Definitely recommend to read.