ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley
3 stars
I usually love an enemies-to-lovers story, but I just didn’t buy the chemistry in this one…
Bad Bachelor is a classic enemies-to-lovers story: Reed McMahon is Offender #1 on the Bad Bachelor app. He’s in PR, but his own reputation is going from bad to notorious as he racks up reviews on the app. Darcy Greer is an inked up, Doc Martens-wearing librarian (yet she’s still the mousy librarian stereotype inside — grr) who called off her wedding at the last minute, after finding her fiancé cheating. Her friends have decided a year is long enough, it’s time to get back in the dating pool. The two are thrown together when Reed’s firm agrees to some pro bono work to help raise funds for Darcy’s library.
Bad Bachelor has an engaging premise and some great banter between its two main characters, but I never actually bought that Reed and Darcy had real chemistry. You’re meant to believe it’s a case of opposites attract, but these two are more similar than they realize. He can’t trust anyone, and neither can she. Even as the two grow closer, it seems like a battle of whose family wrecked who more?
For me, Bad Bachelor would have been more compelling as friends-to-lovers. Reed and Darcy have so many issues and insecurities it would have made more sense for each to be in therapy and initially relating as friends.
I will say though, the twist with who’s behind the Bad Bachelor app is one I didn’t see coming.
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