This book was just not for me. I wasn’t able to connect with the characters and found myself thinking about other things.

This is a solid three star book for me. Initially I was leaning more towards two or two and a half stars because this book is not one that made me want to shout from rooftops about its awesomeness but I think for what it is, this book is a solid start to a series. I have not read this author but I will most likely continue with the series. I would say this is a story about family. Rowdy is Dax’s father and he is the glue that brings this story together. Dax is a volunteer firefighter and a mechanic just like his dad but unlike Rowdy he is somewhat closed off when it comes to relationships and love. Ava and her daughter Olivia are unexpected additions to their lives after Rowdy met Ava. When tragedy hits Dax and Ava have to hold things together. I liked this story but I did not love it. I was not really surprised by anything until the end when Ava does a risky thing but I probably shouldn’t have been because for her there was nothing else she could have done. Overall, this story is a little sad, there is danger and love finds its way.

Dax is a mechanic, firefighter and playboy. He loves them and leaves them with women. Ava is a single mom and friends with the family. Dax has feelings for her but fights it. Ava pushes people away due to her past. I just didn't feel the chemistry with these characters. The fade to black scenes are not a help because the emotions don't seem to make up for it.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and am leaving a review.

was an easy read, great story and ploy. this is a new author for me so I wasn't sure what quite to expect so I was captured by the description. was hard to like DAX at first he is definitely alpha with As*ho%e at times and sometimes the alpha is secondary. I felt like I was trying to like the story and like the character at the same time so sometime i felt like i was missing the main point of the scene. a definite recommend

Felt a Bit Like It Was Wiped Down Into Respectability

The "cute kid" here was very cute, and the big secret, takes an interesting turn. Scenes that "fade to black" aren't my favorite especially when one of the main characters is guarded throughout, and the other, sort of changes the game out of nowhere, assuming they've got it all figured out. What binds these two should be more than the stated reasons, but it's not apparent from any subtext included here.

Shannyn Leah is a new favourite author, after reading this book. A lovely story wrapped in family and emotion, Shannyn writes characters that you, the reader, wants to meet in person. I was caught in the story from the first page and the tugs of emotion continued to the very last page. Wonderfully written and completely entertaining the blurb tells the story outline accurately.

As the first in the series the only down-side to reading this book could be having to continue purchasing the remaining books – an expense I’m sure, after reading book 1, you’ll be happy to do.

I loved this book! Initially, I didn't think I would given Dax's attitude towards relationships and how he treated Ava. But you soon see a change in him after said tragedy, and it is perfectly swoon-worthy!

At a young age, pregnant Ava went through a tragedy herself - her family died in a house fire, so she runs away and finds help from Dax's father. Fast forward several years (I think it was 7?) and we see her life as mother to little Olivia, living with Dax's father who is really like a grandfather to Olivia, and friends with Dax. Dax and his father run a car shop and volunteer at the local fire-station You can see from the beginning that Ava and Dax have an attraction to each other that they've been fighting since the day Ava arrived all those years ago. Like I said before, Dax seemed like too much of a player to me, seemingly treating Ava like another one of his one night stands. However, after something terrible happens, they are forced to turn to each other for support and comfort. From that moment, Dax realized what Ava means to him. And here commences operation "get Ava to believe she's the one for him." SUPER cute, might I say.

The only thing that I would say is that the transition from him being portrayed as this "player", to someone being head over heals for Ava, was sort of abrupt and maybe not believable. But, I just ran with it, and the things he did for her were really just adorable. I'm kind of in-between fantasy books, so this contemporary romance was just the break I needed. I loved this book and definitely would recommend it!

Note: Thank you to NetGalley/Pronoun for this ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review!

I wanted to like Dax, but I just couldn't get into it and I couldn't connect with either Dax or Ava.

Ava was taken in by Rowdy years ago when she came to town obviously needing a kind hand. Since then, Ava and her daughter Olivia have become his family. Olivia calls him Grandpa, and they all consider themselves lucky they've got each other. And then there's Dax, Rowdy's son. He and Ava have a friendship of sorts, but Ava mostly stays out of his way and watches him live his playboy life of bedding women, fixing cars in his and Rowdy's shop, and fighting fires as a volunteer at the station where Rowdy resides as chief. And it's worked out well until Rowdy passes and suddenly Dax realizes what he's been missing and decides to claim Ava as his. And this is where the story lost me. The author told me that Dax all the sudden realized he loved Ava, returned the until then unrequited feelings she had for him, but I honestly never felt it. I didn't believe in their connection, I couldn't feel it, I was just told about it rather than feeling or having it shown to me by Dax and Ava.

The fact that the few intimate scenes are fade to black didn't help in this case either. Sometimes in romances where the action is fade to black, the emotions and storyline more than make up for any lack of descriptive steam, but in this case, neither the story nor the emotions were vivid enough to convince me these two felt much more for each other than familial duty.

Unfortunately, Dax just did not work for me, and I'm hard pressed to even give it 2 stars.

Ava a single mother who was taken in by the fire chief of Willow Valley when she was pregnant with nowhere to go.

Rowdy the widowed fire chief who takes Ava under his wing with a bad boy son named Dax; a mechanic and volunteer firefighter. What more can you ask for??

When they suffer a heartbreaking loss they turn to each other. THe only family they have known to get through the troubling times. Will they ever admit their feelings for eachother.

I felt like they just kept going back and forth, They didn’t like each other, but then then did. They wanted to be together but one didn’t trust the other. They then trusted each other but their actions showed otherwise. When an event happens and they needed to trust and talk to each other the most although I understood the reasoning behind Ava not talking to Dax I feel she could have trusted him a bit more and gotten the same outcome.

This is my first book by the author and I really did enjoy it. It had everything from the bad boy, to the romance, action and suspense. Would definitely recommend this to others…

The book was good and I enjoyed it. However, I feel like the character development was a little fast. I look forward to the next book though.

This was the first book I've read by Shannyn Leah and I must say that I am pleasantly surprised. The main characters Dax and Ava, have fought their attraction to each other for their own reasons. But when life throws them a curve ball, the flame they've always held seems to burn brighter than ever.

Grab a box of tissue (or two) for this read! The author manages to describe emotions in a beautiful way that leaves the reader feeling like they need to take a break from reading, and at the same time, not wanting to stop. I loved the story and look forward to diving into another book written by Shannyn Leah.

* eCopy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It was my first book by Shannyn Leah and I LOVED IT.

I had been quite disappointed by the books I had received recently but Dax was exactly what I needed.

After years of attraction, it takes one terrible event to bring Dax and Ava together. Only for one night, their defenses are down. But just one night might not be enough in the end.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dax's determination. Once the guy makes up his mind nothing can make him budge. Gotta admire this kind of dedication. He was flawed and real as was Ava.

I thought I would be annoyed by this kinda instalove but not at all. And now I want to know more about the Bad Boys of Willow Valley. Hopefully Stone will get a book.

This was one of the best books I have read in a while. I was drawn into the story and fell in love with the characters!

**I received a copy of Dax from Net Gallery in exchange for an honest and voluntary review**

Dax is the first book in Ms. Leah's Bad Boys of Willow Valley, I haven't read her previous books about Willow Valley and can truly say that this can be easily read as a stand alone. I did have some concerns about Dax due to his wandering eye but he was there when he was needed most for Ava & Olivia.

Dax Colyn is part owner in his families car restoration business and also a volunteer firefighter but he's never met a willing woman in the local bar that he couldn't get into bed. But he's a loyal firefighter in Willow Valley and is very interested in Ava whom his father took into his home when she needed it most. He runs a tight shop and won't let a newbie student slack off when restoring one of the vehicles brought into his shop. When tragedy strikes in the fire house it will be Ava who will come to his rescue but can he save her when someone from her past kidnap her child?

Ava Anderson came to Willow Valley, young, broke and pregnant and Rowdy Colyn took her in. Now seven years later he patiently guides Olivia through restoring "Charlie" back to its glory. He hopes that someday Dax will fall in love with Ava and Olivia even though she is completely against Dax and his rotating bed mates. Her early life was from the wrong side of town and when losing her family in a fire. Now she's a high school teacher, loves her daughter Olivia and is determined to help her students who need extra help because no one helped her. When a person from her past decides to take Olivia from her it will be Dax she'll turn to. Can she let someone into her heart again and will it be Dax?

4.5stars
I didn't expect this story to turn out to be so amazing. It really blew me away. It is emotionally rollercoaster, I cried, I laugh and I enjoyed reading such great love story. Dax and Ava have a mutual attraction for years but they are not surrendering to it until tragedy strikes and everything changes. Ava is a great person loving caring also scared because she doesn't trust herself 100% because of her terrible past. Dax is at the start a hardcore playboy who transforms into a caring responsible grown-up man, who is determined to fight for his happiness. He is patient but has his plan all worked out until past is coming for Ava and maybe it will be too late? A really great story with great, developed characters. In the end, there are unexpected events full of suspense, and it was worth reading every single page until HEA.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly

This is the first time I have read a story by Ms Leah and it won't be my last. I love stories about firefighters and DAX hits the spot. It was a multilayered story featuring Dax, such a player and Ava, the woman his father took in a few years past. His father Rowdy is the fire chief and he helped out the scared young mother and gave her a home and treated them like his own. He and Dax never truly dealt with the loss of his wife and Dax's mother. Dax and Ava are kind of like frenemies and keep their demons to themselves. A tragedy unites the two and they start sharing and get closer. This story has so much going for it. It's sexy and spicy, but at times very emotional. Ava is a good mother to her daughter and she finally starts to free herself. Dax's character begins to grow and he realizes that he does need to care and be cared for by a true loving partner. I liked Ms Leah's writing and I want to read more from her. I want to read Dax's and Ava's Christmas story, too!
4 likes

Honestly, I kind of held off deciding to read this, but I'm sure glad I did. What a great story Shannyn wrote about Dax, Ava and the rest of the family, related or extended. I loved Rowdy, Dax's father and his relationship with Ava's little girl Olivia. Olivia was quite a little firecracker.
Read the blurb for the overall and I'll just hit the highlights of the book and why I loved it and there wasn't anything I didn't like. It's got a little bit of everything in it and a great story as well.
I loved Ava, Olivia and Rowdy and their relationship. How Rowdy was a grandpa to Olivia and took Ava in after her family was killed in a house fire and she found herself pregnant and no place to go.
Dax is Dax, a firefighter like his father and co-owner in their auto body shop. Dax pretty much spends his time working and sitting at the local bar with his two buds drinking and man whoring.
We get a good glimpse into Rowdy and Dax's background, when Dax's Mom died Rowdy fell apart for a while and Dax decided he wasn't giving that power over to any woman. That pretty much shaped his attitude and behavior. Dax and Ava always kept their distance. Ava didn't much care for his lifestyle choices. Ava is a schoolteacher now and still lives with Rowdy.
When a life altering event occurs Dax and Ava must come together and put their differences aside.
Dax drowns himself in alcohol and Ava isn't having any part of that. When his best friend and co worker calls Ava to come get him from the bar, she doesn't want to, but she does. The event and the following short period turn the story in a totally different direction and man, did I love it even more.
Dax is a changed man, Ava is scared witless and they're both trying hard to restore normalcy for Olivia. I loved how Dax just kind of nudged his way in. Olivia was so excepting. Ava was a tough nut to crack. Then there's another twist you won't see coming. Dang. I was happy without the twist thinking Ava and Dax could just duke it out but the twist did add to Ava's story.
Great read. Great plot. It's a romance yes, but also deals with real life events. Great work Shannyn!

**arc from NetGalley and publisher**
*I received a copy of this book for review. The above is my honest and fair review**

This is my first book by this author.

And though it kinda started slow, and Dax wasn't that drool-worthy (though it helps he's a fireman), it all works out in the end. It's just sad how they both had to lose Rowdy to really come together. Dax's complete and instant 360 was a little hard to digest but ok. It was great how he believed in them.

There are so many nice secondary characters in the story. Olivia is such a cute kid, and growing up in the most unique way that I wish she will have her own story soon. Olivia and Charlie and someone special. Hahaha. Rowdy of course, can't be forgotten. Stone seems to be a great guy. Hawk, hmmm, may need a bit more seasoning.

Looking forward to the next book.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this copy.

I like reading contemporary romance when I fall into reading slumps. It helps me kind of "reset" in a way. A nice, somewhat fluffy, read.

I was expecting more of a "cut and dry" romance book, strangers meet, lust after each other for a while, then "fall in love".
These people weren't strangers, they've known each other for nearly a decade. And where already mostly in love with each other at the start of the book. It just took a tragedy for them to realize it, and this book made me cry. Something that hasn't happened in a while. It was actually kind of nice being emotionally affected by a book.

copy received through Netgalley for honest review
I was a little slow to get into this story. It took me a minute to warm up to Ava. She was kind of judgmental with Dax. When he was mourning, she was very hard. When he expressed his feelings, she doubted him. I can understand her doubts, but her thinking he couldn' change didn't sit well with me. After all, she changed. I didn't really like her until about midway through the book.She and her daughter, Olivia have settled in and are part of Dax's family. Dax was the bad boy, womanizer with a aversion to committing. He and Ava have been dancing around their mutual attraction for years. when things change, he is all in and Ava is hesitant. He romances her, pulls her outside her comfort zone and bulldozes his way to her heart. I liked the characters. Olivia is the winner for me. She was adorable. The story was a little slow in some places. But you do get a range of emotions and excitement throughout. Good start to the series.