I really liked the hero, Bo, but didn't like Sadie. The heroine just seemed dull and boring to me. I couldn't relate to her. Overall, an okay read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I was so excited when I saw that Once Upon a Bad Boy was up for review on NetGalley. I had read the first two books and loved them. I was expecting to love Once Upon a Bad Boy. For the most part, I did. But there were parts that I didn’t like. The parts that I didn’t like did figure into how I rated this review.

I liked Bo. He didn’t hide behind walls or keep secrets from anyone. I did feel bad that he was trying to buy his half of the business from Vic and he kept getting put off. I liked how he tried to keep his feelings for Sadie under wraps.

I couldn’t connect with Sadie, and I didn’t think she was relatable. I couldn’t get a feel for her personality. She came across as flat, which sucked for me because I liked her in the previous books. The only time I saw her come to life was when Bo pushed her buttons.

As much as I didn’t connect with Sadie, I did feel that she and Bo had sexual chemistry by the spades. That tension cranked up each meeting until it exploded into an oral sex frenzy. Speaking about sex, the author had Sadie and Bo do everything but have intercourse until the end of the book. It was refreshing.

The romance angle was a bit up and down for me. There were times where I could see Sadie falling back in love with Bo. But then, there were other times that it was almost nonexistent. That drove me nuts.

The end of the book was interesting. I didn’t expect what was revealed. I also didn’t expect Bo’s reaction to it. But, I liked how the author took something that is frowned upon and turned it into something positive.

I really didn't care for this book. I just couldn't get into in and won't be reading any more books by this author. Sorry to say, I'm just not a fan.

Sadie reconnects with her old boyfriend!

Actress Sadie Gold is so ready to do something other than play a rich girl on a soap opera when she gets the lead for a new movie in her hometown of Chicago. Sadie is ready for it to start when she has the first table read where most of the major actors go through the script when Sadie meets the stunt coordinator Bo Ibarra for the first time since high school. Sadie and Bo dated during high school even though his father managed the stables at her grandmother’s estate. Sadie and Bo wanted to keep their rekindled relationship quiet because Sadie knew that people would think she only got the job because she and Bo were dating.

Sadie wanting to keep stuff quiet comes back to bite her later in the story but it is handled very well.

Melonie Johnson has written a series that covers a group of friend that is there for each other even though they don’t see each other all the time which is the mark of a true friend.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved this book. Melonie has written several books I have read and this did not disappoint. A strong woman working to prove herself, a determined guy trying to rise above having nothing and a passion that spans more time than they should have lost.

Once Upon a Bad Boy by Melonie Johnson is the third in the Sometimes in Love series. Generally I’ve found that in series, particularly by newer authors, the stories get better as the authors work on their craft. For me, this was not true with this book, unfortunately. I really enjoyed the last two books so I was excited to read Sadie and Bo’s story. Teenage loves who went their separate ways, they reconnect years later when Sadie is the female lead of the movie that Bo is the stunt coordinator for. Overall, I found that their story was very thin. There were so many other aspects that if Ms. Johnson had fleshed them out would have made this a much better story, I’ve also found that when the story primarily revolves around the intimate life of the characters, the story is weak. For me, that should be something that enhances the story, but for most of this book, it is the story. And I wasn’t a fan of the handling of Sadie and Bo’s teenage pregnancy storyline-it really made me rethink both these characters and did not put either of them in the best light for me. However, I really hope the next book is about Luna. I really liked her character.

Thank you to St, Martins press for an advanced e-copy of this book for my review.

The third in a really fun series. Sadie and Bo were a great couple and a nice wrap up to the series. Lots of fun, sexy, romantic parts. Great dialogue. I would recommend!

Sadie Gold is ready for something big after her soap opera tour. She wants to be taken seriously and not just seen as a rich, spoiled and very well connected. When she is finally offered a part in a hit movie she is thrilled. Right up until she meets her stunt coordinator. 

Bo Ibarra is hot, sexy and Sadie's first love. After a decade the sparks are all still there. But they broke up for reasons that are still in play. The wrong side of the tracks, money, love is never easy. And on top of all of the issues they need to get past, Sadie has a secret she has been keeping all these years and now it's out and there may be no way to find their way back to each other this time.

I loved the friends and other characters. Melonie Johnson is really good at writing love stories that feel real. And funny. I'm sure we will be seeing much more from this series.

NetGalley/June 25th, 2019 by St. Martin's Paperbacks

I had not realized when I began reading this that it was the third book in the series, but I was able to follow along without much issue. This is a second chance romance and I found it quite enjoyable. Sadie is an actress who is desperate to prove herself as a serious actress worthy of important roles. She gets her chance to make that dream a reality when she is cast as an action star in a new blockbluster. Things could not be more perfect, until she runs into a familiar face from her past. The stunt coordinator who is sent to train her is none other than her first love. She's determined to not let heartbreak from her past derail her future. Bo wants nothing to do with Sadie. He is still nursing past hurts, but is nothing, if not a professional. As they work together, feelings from their youth return and the lines between professional and private lives blue. Can they move past the angst and hurt from their past and find a way to have a future together?

Welp, I had no idea this was the third book in a series, but I'm not even mad because my first experience with Melonie Johnson's writing was a good one. I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself into Sadie and Bo's lives.and I'm anxious to get through a few on my TBR list so I can go back and read the first two books! But back to Sadie and the Bad Boy....

As an actress, Sadie Gold just wants to prove herself to be Hollywood's Sweetheart. She was also Bo's sweetheart at one time. These two haven't seen each other in years, but now that Sadie's landed the role of a lifetime as a bad ass action chick, guess who shows up as her stunt coordinator?

Oh yeah. Second chance romance trope, baby. One of my very favorites. These kinds of books always bring the feels because there's a lot of angst surrounding an old breakup. Call me crazy, but I live for that angst because it makes the sweet just that much sweeter.

Not gonna lie though, I really liked a lot about this book, but there were some things I wasn't all that excited about. I felt like parts of it (namely when Bo and Sadie were apart) sort of dragged on, and I got a little bit bored around the 70ish percent range, but I'm glad I stuck it through because it all worked out in the end and I ended up adoring this book.

Looking forward to reading more in this series in the future!

This is the third book in the series and my favorite one so far. Bo and Sadie were childhood sweethearts but from different walks of life. Bo’s family was the hired help and they worked for Sadie’s grandmother. Bo knowing Sadie wanted to become an actress and see the world breaks up with her...fast forward 11 years, Sadie is the actress she wanted to be and Bo has a stunt company. When Bo is hired to be the stunt coordinator on Sadie’s movie sparks fly. It’s time for answers and maybe a second chance at love.

This is the third in a series called Sometimes in Love and it’s a winner all the way around. No need to read all of the books but it does help understand some of the back story.

And just wow. Sometimes in a series, the story becomes predictable and slow. This one should have been the first in the series because I almost gave up on that one. Each story gets better and so does writing, like the author wasn’t sure of her talent. I want to make it crystal clear – she knows how to write a story! This one is an award winner contender!

Sadie Gold is a successful actress who is playing her lifelong dream, the part of an action hero. The stunt coordinator turns out to be none other than Bo Ibarra, the guy who dumped her years ago on prom night with no explanation.

Both of them have secrets that they would rather keep that way but the attraction between them is undeniable. That secret will be hard to keep and stay professional. Neither one of them wants to fail at this project so they manage to keep hands off for the most part.

The author throws many curves at the reader that you certainly don’t expect and it keeps you intrigued from page to page. The HEA is achieved but no without some very surprising ups and downs. Definitely a book you need to read!

I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was promised or received for the review.

I'm so glad I found Melonie Johnson. I can't say enough about her books. She knocked it out of the park again with Once Upon a Bad Boy.
This story follows Sadie and Bo who were childhood sweethearts. Years later, the are brought back together when Sadie gets a leading role in a new film and Bo is her stunt coordinator. Old flames are reignited but so are old wounds. The reader is brought on an emotional journey with both characters and in the end we are not disappointed.
The book deals with sensitive subjects but also love, loss, hurt and anger. Each main character and supporting character have a back story and it is intricately woven in to the story. Characters from previous books make appearances and we are given insight into how their lives have progressed.
All in all, it was an easy, enjoyable read. It kept me interested and I can't wait to see if Bo and Sadie pop up in another story. This was an ARC but it was very polished with minimal typos. I am looking forward to more books from this author.

I'm bummed to say me and this author's style did not mesh. I did not finish Getting Hot with the Scot and don't have an inclination to try the rest of the series.

Sweet, second-chance romance. The third person writing was good. The characters weren't super easy to relate to because of their circumstance but that made them more charismatic. Caught up in the sort of fantasy of them was a great part of their allure. I had a few issues with the mains and the secondary's. The plot was interesting but it lingered a bit and got caught up in frivolous details but then there were also some details I felt weren't fully fleshed out that I would have liked to of seen more developed. I was charmed easily in more than several sections of the book and the tender, nostalgic moments were written with great vulnerability and honesty.

What most stood out was that these two main characters were childhood sweethearts from very opposite lifestyles. I love that in a story and this one with it's lovely memories provided that much more charm. These two were always and still are on different paths and seeing them discover their own selves and rediscover each other always make for great romance. I was entertained and feel good about the book it just didn't wow me. Once Upon a Bad Boy is the kind of sweet, contemporary romance I'd recommend for an easy reading day on vacation.

I am honestly shocked that I enjoyed this one when the others in this series was a doozy for me. Once Upon A Bad Boy is a cute summer feeling second chance romance that had me feeling all the things. I really enjoyed our main characters and the chemistry between them wasn't only steamy and intense but also believable and natural. Bo and Sadie are probably without a doubt my favorite couple from this series and I wouldn't mind reading more from these two! There were some issues that I had in regards to dialogue near the end that felt forced/rushed which is why I knocked a few stars off as it pulled me out of the story on several occasions; but overall I really enjoyed myself with this one!

Once Upon a Bad Boy by Melonie Johnson is the 3rd book in her Sometimes in Love series. Sadie Gold, whom we met in the previous books, and our heroine in this story, is training for her upcoming movie. Sadie is determined to prove that she is a good actress, especially with this leading role that could change her life.

Sadie comes from a wealthy family, and has continually fought off the reputation of a spoiled rich girl, which she is anything but that. When she and her co star are told that they will need training for all the stunts that are in the movie, Sadie is shocked to discover her ex-boyfriend from high school is the trainer.

Bo Ibarra, our hero, has successfully risen from a life of struggle for his family growing up as a teenager to a partnership in movie stunts business. Years ago (11 years), Bo took Sadie to the prom, only to leave her after it was over, without so much as a reason. In truth, Bo felt there could be no future for their relationship, as she came from wealth and he was poor. Sadie was heartbroken, not understanding why he dumped her. Now with the two of them working together, Sadie tries to keep her distance, but both of them slowly feel the attraction that they had years before is still there. Can Sadie forgive Bo for breaking her heart? Does Bo feel secure enough in his life to pursue Sadie for a second chance?

I enjoyed seeing Sadie step up her performance in the movie, as well as her accepting the help from Bo for perfecting the stunts. This did lead to at first a friendship, but eventually turning into a wonderful sexy romance. I loved Sadie, as she made a fabulous heroine. The best part of this story, was Sadie friends, especially Ava. The group together were a blast. I also thought that Bo’s sister was not nice, and did some unforgivable things in the past against Sadie. But by the end, they both reconciled their differences, as Sadie proved that she was not driven by her family’s money, and not spoiled, as others may have thought of her. I did like Bo a lot, as he was friendly and hot, though I thought what he did when he left her without discussing things with her was not nice. Bo realizes that he loves Sadie, but will he be able to get past a secret Sadie has kept all these years?

Once a Bad Boy was a nice second chance romance written well by Melonie Johnson. If you love contemporary romance with a bit of everything, great couple, wonderful secondary characters, I suggest you read this fun enjoyable book.

I love how Melonie Johnson develops her plots and characters and this books met all my expectations.
I had fun, rooted for the characters and couldn't put it down.
I look forward to reading the next work by Ms Johnson.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is such a cute series. I’m looking forward to reading more books about these amazing strong women. I love a good second chance romance. This story hit the spot.

I thought this was a cute romance book, it appears to be #3 in a series, but can be read in a standalone, because I haven't read the other two.

So here are two things that bothered me about the book. First, Bo is supposed to be a bad boy right? He was nothing of the sort. The only bad boy thing about him was that he road a motorcycle and knew how to jump off of things (or tell people how to in this case) he was too goody goody in this book, too nice, not nearly enough bad boy to pass as one. This entire book I would classify as a "Sweet romance" type book, which sort of brings me to my second thing, the sex. The sex was a little bit more "hot sex" type, that didn't jibe very well with the "Sweetness" of this book. once I read one sex scene i skimmed the rest, and since i skimmed, it was a very G rated romance. I feel like if they cut back on the sex to make it less it would be a harlequin romance type book. So basically I feel the title is misleading.

Aside from that, like I said, it was nice and cute, everything wrapped up in a little bow, it's more of a boy next door romance, and there is nothing wrong with that, I actually really enjoyed the book. I would read her other ones, and would likely enjoy those as well, it was well written and the characters were easy to picture, great worldbuilding. I liked it