Isn't It Romantic?: The Companion Edition

Bad Influence
Stefanie London
Series: Bad Bachelors, #3
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

He's the bad bachelor who inspired it all... Annie Maxwell had her whole life figured out...until her fiancé left her when his career took off. If that wasn't bad enough, every society blog posted pictures of him escorting a woman wearing her engagement ring. To help the women of New York avoid guys like her ex, Annie created the Bad Bachelors app. But try as she might, Annie just can't forget him...

For bank executive Joe Preston, his greatest mistake was leaving the love of his life when she needed him most. Now, all he wants is to make things right--and she won't have him. But when Annie's safety is threatened by a hacker determined to bring down her app, Joe is the only one she can turn to. He'll have to lay himself on the line to prove to Annie that he's a changed man. But will their hard-won bond survive the revelation that Annie is the one pulling the strings behind Bad Bachelors?

In this final book, we FINALLY find out what drove Annie to create Bad Bachelors, and I for one, found her story to be my favorite of the series.

Reasons I Loved Bad Influence:

1. It's a second chance romance. This is my catnip, people. I am enamored with the idea that we can make mistakes, but maybe still be able to salvage what we once had. 
2. So. Much. History. I had no idea we were dealing with two people, who had been connected to each other since childhood. Just imagining them frolicking as small children, and reconnecting in a romantic way in college had me smiling. Their history wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, but it was packed with some really beautiful moment. 
3. Family played a big role in this story. I am alway down for some family involvement, and this one featured an incredible family (her's) and a terrible family (his). Obviously, I was more into the parts involving Annie's family, but meeting Joseph's was vital to my understanding of him and what drove his decisions. 
4. The chemistry was crackling between these two. It was terrible how it all ended with Annie and Joseph the first time around, but it was easy to see they belonged together and to each other. There were swoons and feels. 
5. Although there were some really stressful parts for me, the last few chapters were PERFECTION! London really made my emotions soar and my heart fill with joy. I know my face was hurting from all the smiling I was doing. 

This was a fantastic and strong ending for a series I throughly enjoyed. I am still holding out hope that we can get a spinoff or something more set in this world, because I feel like some of the side characters have stories to tell.

Faking Forever
Catherine Bybee
Series: First Wives, #4
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

From New York Times bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes a new First Wives novel about wanting a family…and finding love.

Shannon Wentworth’s biological clock is ticking, and she isn’t going to let her single status keep her from having a baby. When her wedding-photography business takes her to Mexico, she has every intention of finding a willing baby daddy to help her out. Until the bride goes AWOL, leaving Shannon to coddle the arrogant fiancé who has accused her of sabotaging his wedding.

Victor Brooks never could have imagined that he’d be on a honeymoon for one. Only here he is, taking a hard look at his life after the younger women he thought he loved walked out. The woman who volunteers to help him reflect is the last person he expects to be attracted to. Between the tequila, the sun, and one earth-shattering kiss, Victor finds Shannon a distraction too sexy to ignore.

They strike a deal: wait three months, cool off, and see if their tropical beach attraction is worth taking up when they go back home. Unfortunately, that’s just enough time for the past to come calling. All their best-laid plans are at risk. So is the last thing Shannon expected to matter the most: her heart.

I just realized that this was my 19th Bybee book. Obviously, there is something about her books that keeps me coming back, and all those things were well represented in Faking Forever.

I had been eagerly awaiting Shannon's story. She was one of the few "wives", who actually fell in love during her arranged marriage, but unfortunately, the feeling wasn't mutual. I so wanted her to move past her heartbreak and find her HEA, and I absolutely adored the man she was paired with.

Victor seemed an unlikely match for Shannon given the circumstances under which they met. Shannon found him quite repugnant, and even felt that his bride-to-be deserved better. But, Shannon discovered a very different side of Victor during their time in Mexico, and that was the Victor she wanted to know better.

The growth both Victor and Shannon experienced was great. Shannon opened up and shed her quiet and reserved girl persona. She began speaking up and demanding more attention, while also opting for the less "safe" choices. Shannon said goodbye to her past and started moving towards her future, and I fell short of doing a slow clap for her. Seriously, I was really proud.

Meanwhile, Victor began putting more time into his personal relationships and being more honest with those around him as he started to see his future being about more than his business. It was fabulous seeing the contrast between how he was with Shannon and how he had been with his ex. It really clearly displayed how genuine his feelings were for Shannon.

Other things I really liked:

• I had a lot of fun in Mexico with Shannon, Victor, and the rest of their Tulum crew. 
• This group of women have such a wonderful and fierce friendship. The way they drop what they are doing to come to each other's aid or how they support one another, even if they don't agree with that person was a beautiful thing. 
• It was terribly fun having all the couples so present in this story. This first wives family has grown over the course of the series, and I was thrilled to see them all settling into their HEAs. 
• The 3 month countdown! 
• The ending was so fun! What a nice way to send the group off into sunset. 

Overall: A mighty fine ending for a series, that gave me fabulous heroines, great heroes, and heartwarming HEAs.

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

Do you enjoy companion series?

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