Once Upon a Bad Boy is a good fit for readers looking for a heartfelt romance between two people from different backgrounds who must confront their past to find love.

There was a lot of good character development, and this book focused on romance and the relationship. But I still found it hard to really get into. I just didn't like either of the main characters enough to be invested in their story fully. So it took me longer to get through than I had wanted given my TBR right now. Sadie and Bo are likeable. Just nothing that made me truly root for them. Just meh. Ryan and Ana were more interesting but they stayed on the peripheral unfortunately.

I also found it too predictable. Like why did they really have to hide their romance? Why if they were hiding it did they have to risk everything for a hot kiss? I'm just too jaded I guess because really? You're both 30. You know better.

Don't get me wrong, it's still highly readable. Just not overwhelming me with awesomeness.

A cute romance ,in fact the hole series is , and after reading this I'll definitely be doing a re read of the series

Perfect read. Great romance. Well written with the perfect amount of character development.

Rereviewed as reviews aren't showing.

Second Chance Romance's have never been on my radar but after reading Once Upon A Bad Boy by Melonie Johnson I'm hooked. Sadie Gold has a past, once she would rather forget and that has left her rather closed off from everyone. As an actress she is ready to take her career to the next level and star in a new lead role for an upcoming action movie. All is going according to plan until she see's a man from her past Bo Ibarra the stunt coordinator. I really liked how they reconnected and how real it felt, but Sadie still holds back because she doesn't want to get hurt again.

This book was an overall okay read. It was a bit predictable and tended to fall a little flat here and there. It was an enjoyable read despite the predictability.

I love this series from Melonie. Honestly I will be reading everything she writes because she is an amazing author and honestly an amazing human. Sadie and Bo’s second-chance romance slayed me...and pieced me back together again! I loved their journey of rediscovery, not just with each other, but also themselves. Growing up isn’t easy on a good day, and what these two knew at 18/19 was infinitely different at 30/31 years old. Their relationship was a firestorm of emotion and I liked how it gave a a richer perspective on the backstory story. Sadie and Bo’s story was slightly heavier then the first two books, especially when tackling some sensitive issues, but I think Johnson handled things quite well.. I generally don't like stories written over multiple years. However I love Melonie's writing.

I discovered in this author a talented storyteller, and someone I would definitely want to read again. The story was sweet, fresh, and fun. I met the female character in a previous book and was waiting for her to have her own story. The wait was worth it, tho. I loved this book as much as I loved the previous installments.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was an enjoyable book.

I love romantic comedies! This is the second book I had read from this author and she does romantic comedy so well. Sadie is an actress and Bo is the stunt coordinator on her new movies, but they met long before that, this is a second chance romance! I loved it so much! The banter and chemistry Sadie and Bo have it just perfect. I still need to go back and read book one! I'm sure I will love it as much as I loved this one.

“if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last few months, it’s that the past is prologue.”

It’s been ages since I’ve picked up a Melonie Johnson book and I can say with full certainty that I needed this book right now. The last couple months have in no way been easy.. I was so tired, so so exhausted that every single day there seemed to be one more thing that would make me want to curl up in ball somewhere and just not get up. I didn’t want to read romance books anymore, and since most of the books I get for review are romance, well, you can see how that made me feel even more disappointed in myself.

But then a couple days ago I picked up Once Upon A Bad Boy & while I sped through it in two sittings, I couldn’t help but feel so much lighter. This book just emanates hope. From the beginning when we meet (or re-meet if you’ve read the other books in this series) Sadie & Bo (leading man) and hear their story, you can’t help but feel like the chance they had as teenagers when they didn’t know what they had and lost it was just the “prologue”. Now as adults when they realize just how precious love is & just what it means to re-find your person.. their second chance is just all the more beautiful.

These two in no way make it easy, with the firecracker personality that Sadie has & the devotion to both of their careers.. it’s a miracle they made it out alive while forced fo work together. Also.. the nickname that Bo has for Sadie? I swooned majorly. This book was for sure something else, and it deserves all the stars and then some.

I am thoroughly enjoying the Sometimes in Love series! This third book in the series can be read as a standalone and will appeal to anyone looking for a steamy contemporary romance.

This was a more serious story overall than the previous two books, and there were some moments of true heartbreak during this second chance at love. I found this to be less of a romantic comedy. There were also more explicit sex scenes in this book.

Sadie Gold has a tumultuous past with Bo Ibarra. She was head over heels in love with him as a teen. His break-up on prom night – with no explanation – stung. And now for the role of her life she must work with him under his direction as stunt coordinator.

Over the course of filming, Sadie and Bo spend a lot of time together. It is the opportunity to dig into what happened all those years ago while seeing one another in a new light. It is the perfect situation for a second chance romance and features the classic rich-poor relationship.

Bo has the appearance of a rough-and-tough bad boy, but he never really was. He is a man with heart who loves his family. He grew up with so little but has become an established presence in the film industry, largely in part to his hard work. Throughout the book, Bo worked through some of his own issues just like Sadie does.

There is a topic that comes up from Sadie’s post-break up life. It is sensitive and characters react in ways I found to be a big turn-off. This plot point should have been flushed out a little bit more, but it made my heart break for Sadie and Bo, then and now.

The secondary characters add flair and fun to Sadie and Bo’s story. Bo’s nephew is the cutest thing ever! And then there are the female friendships! The girls are sweet and supportive – a great group of ladies.

I enjoyed Once Upon A Bad Boy. I kept thinking about my mother saying to avoid bad boys, but I certainly will continue to read about them!

Once Upon a Bad Boy by Melonie Johnson is the third book in her Sometimes in Love series. Enjoyed reading about the characters and the relationships.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love second chance romances! I know I struggled with Getting Hot with the Scot by Melonie Johnson . I am so glad that it didn't deter me from reading this one. Although I wish I would have realized that this is book three in her Sometimes in Love series before I agreed to read it for St. Martin's Press. I would have gone back and read Smitten by the Brit first.

Star-crossed lovers is the apt definition for this book. Sadie is an actress who lands a major movie role. Bo is the sexy stunt man, who also happens to be the boy who broke Sadie's heart when they were teens.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for review. This did not influence my review.

The story of Sadie and Bo has been told many times with different names and settings. I enjoyed the story for what it was, but I feel like the characters fell a bit flat. I haven't read the previous two books in the series and didn't realize it was a series when I requested this book.

I do like the second chance love stories, and Sadie and Bo's story fit the bill perfectly. I feel like it was predictable even with the "plot twists" and while it ended as expected, I enjoyed reading it.

I feel like there was a bit of a lack of chemistry between Bo and Sadie. While it was there, it didn't feel as intense as other romance novels I've read. Their passion was written well, but I didn't feel it while reading as I have with other novels with the same trope.

All in all, this is a quick romance read that will satisfy a need for a "chick" book.

This book was so entertaining. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and was involved until the end. The characters were complex and interesting. I found the story to be well paced and engrossing throughout the whole book. I was invested in the couple throughout the book and felt all the emotions through both the highs and lows of the story.The side characters were such an integral part of this story as well. This is the love story i needed to read at this time. If you want an entertaining and well written book this is it for you

FULL REVIEW ON FRESH FICTION
ONCE UPON A BAD BOY, book three in Melonie Johnson's Sometimes in Love series, is an emotional and steamy contemporary romance. Sadie and Bo were each other's first loves and haven't seen each other in over a decade. As many teenage love stories and heartbreaks go, theirs is overwhelming and life-defining, neither having moved on after their breakup. And when they are forced to work together, things heat up quickly! With moments of humor, especially from Sadie's film co-star, as well as delightful interactions with Sadie's best friends, ONCE UPON A BAD BOY has an angstier feel to it than the previous two books in the series. While the hero and heroine work through their own issues, it is rewarding to watch as they decide to open their hearts to true love again.

AUTHOR GUEST BLOG:

Wasn't feeling Sadie and Bo together at all. It felt rushed and just no connection to me.
Received this book as an ARC and I am giving my opinion voluntarily.