I really liked the premise about this book: daughter of a preacher writing spicy romance novels under pseudonym and hooking up with a guy who is known to be a bad buy.

The story was entertaining and I enjoyed reading it. Valerie and Griffin were likeable characters and I liked the chemistry between them.

I also liked that there wasn't too much drama.

I didn't feel the connection between the love interest, Griffin and Val. The story did have a couple sweet moments, but ultimately, there was a disconnect. I also didn't like that it seemed like Val was ashamed of Griffin for most of the story. There was also too much filler story going on, so this book was slow moving. The writing didn't flow and felt odd at times. It's an okay story, it just didn't connect with me. I didn't hate it and it was okay enough for me to finish it. I just needed more. Everything felt emotionless.

I read this book a few years ago and I forgot to do the review, so here it is. First it is a nice story about a women Val, how is the daughter of a preacher, and also a school sectary. She also writes romance novels under a pseudonym, and ones I don’t think her father would approve of. Griffin is dealing with having to put his mother in a home for patients with Alzheimer’s, that is weighing on his mind a lot for that is his mother and he feels like he is letting he down somehow. Their first meeting comes when the dog that Val is watching distracts her while she is driving and she almost runs into Griffin, while he is riding his motorcycle. Second meeting comes when he sees her at the same place that his mother is at and is where she volunteers. The two of them must try to work out the issues from their past if they want to have a future together. A good story, I really did not see Griffin as a bad boy other than riding a motor cycle and having tattoos. Val was the one hiding what she was doing being a writer from her preacher father, maybe she felt bad? Anyway a good book and I did like the characters.

WELCOMING THE BAD BOY - Annie Rains

#3 in the Hero's Welcome romance series

GREAT CHARACTERS! - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Val is suffering from writer's block as she tries to meet the deadline on her next romance novel. Because it's a secret that she even writes them, she can't share this problem with anyone but her publisher. When she meets a sexy and handsome Marine at the nursing home where she volunteers, she suddenly has a lot of fuel for her stories.

Writing - 4 stars - As always, I was immediately captured. Rains has a way of creating appealing and attractive characters that you can't help but like and root for.

Characters - 4 stars - This is where the story shone for me. Val is cute and loving. As the daughter of a minister, she is expected (and is often volunteered) to help out. But, despite his disapproval, she is natural in her sense of giving, helping others when she can. At the same time, she is always seeking her father's love. They haven't been close since her mother's death years ago, so even though she's 30 years old, she still wants to win his love. Griffin, on the other hand, is a Marine, but he's also someone who has always pushed the envelope. He and his mother had a huge fight when he was younger, prompting him to leave and join the Marines. When he decides to return and mend their fences, he discovers that she is suffering from Early Onset Alzheimer's, so he will most likely never be able to reconcile with her. Both characters are basically good people who crave parental love but who struggle to reconcile that with their adulthood and sense of independence.

Title - 3 stars - I'm not in love with this title. Although Griffin is supposed to be a "bad boy," he is far from it. The only one who might think so is Val's father, and even he blames her rather than Griffin for their intimate relationship. The title really doesn't reflect the story or the characters accurately.

Cover - 3 stars - Nothing particularly special about this cover. Since the dogs are how they met, showing a dog on the cover would have led us more toward where the story went.

Overview - 4 stars - What I love about this series is the real struggles that the characters must face. Although this story doesn't exactly have the same sorts of conflicts faced by the previous books from this series, there are still some emotional moments that I enjoyed. Griffin's regret over the missed opportunity to reconnect with his mother is so sad and something that many people can relate to, even if not in exactly the same way. Val, in constantly trying to win her father's love, is also a common theme, and one that can be heartbreaking. Both characters are wonderful. They are attractive and appealing and definitely people I'd want to be friends with. The relationship developed in a convincing way, and the roadblocks were definitely believable. I love this series and this author and look forward to more from both.

It was cute and quick. It is a good fluff book, there is nothing too memorable about it. I would not read it again if I had a choice.

Sadly on this occasion this one unfortunately wasn’t for me.

SOOOOO SWEET!!! A perfect weekend read; I just relaxed on my sofa while it rained and opened my e-reader.

I really enjoyed the book, it has everything I love in a novel from start to finish. I can’t wait to read what the author has planned next!

What a fabulous book where opposites attract. On the surface, Valerie and Griffin could not be more different, but once they spend more time together, they find out they have much more in common then they thought. This was my first book by Rains and it most certainly won't be the last.

Valerie has been trying practically her whole life to get her father’s approval. She keeps her life as a romance writer secret, and she avoids dating anyone whom she believes her father would not approve of, which means she rarely dates, and even when she does, she keeps it secret, and it doesn’t last long.
Griffin has enough stress, he doesn’t need the added pressure of a relationship. He’s all about having a little fun, but his main priority is mending fences and taking care of his sick mother.
Val is just as sweet as someone might expect a preacher’s daughter to be (no one really expects that as we all know about preachers’ kids ), but she also has a side that people really expect.
Griffin is just as drawn to her sweet, caring, loyal side as he is her adventurous, romantic side and she makes him have unfamiliar feelings. I enjoyed reading them carry out their fantasies, but I also enjoyed reading them connect emotionally. I liked Val in the first two books and I was happy to revisit the other couples, Micah and Kat and Lawson and Julie. It was fun learning more about Val and Griffin, and I even grew fond of Jaws, Trooper, and Sweet Cheeks (their pets).
The pace is steady and flow is really smooth. Although they are attracted to each other, they take their time to get to know each other before going too far. I like that they take interest in each other’s hobbies, and really listen to each other. Rains always has well-developed characters. They sometimes do unexpected things so they’re not dull, but their actions are always believable.
This is such a sweet, endearing story with, of course, a very happy ending. Not just for the lovers, but in other relationships as well.