Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf: Blog Tour: Never Been Good by Christi Barth (Review & Giveaway)

Never Been Good by Christi Barth

Release Date: April 3, 2018

Publisher: Avon Impulse

Genre: Adult, Romance

Source: Bought

Add to Goodreads!

Amazon | BN | iBooks | Kobo

USA Today bestseller Christi Barth returns with another steamy Bad Boys Gone Good novel!

Flynn Maguire isn’t really a bad guy. Sure, he worked for the mob, but he ran a legitimate business—on paper anyway—and it paid enough to keep his brother out of the lifestyle. Until they turned on him. Now he’s stuck in Witness Protection, tending bar in Nowheresville Oregon… and pissed the life he knew is gone. The only bright spot? Fantasizing about his quiet, secretive, beautiful coworker.

Sierra Williams is a woman on the run. All she wants now is to settle into small town life… and ignore the brooding, sexy bartender who can’t seem to take his eyes off her. Flynn’s bad-boy vibe pushes all her buttons, but Sierra fell for the wrong man once already. She can’t afford to let her guard down again. Except Flynn’s tough exterior is slowly melting away to reveal the sweet man beneath and their attraction is too strong to resist.

Sierra and Flynn are falling fast, but they’re both keeping so many secrets. The truth could ruin everything… unless a girl who’s a little bad is perfect for a guy who’s never really been good.

Review:

After reading Bad for Her last year, I couldn't wait to read more about the Maguire boys! I loved their family dynamic. Not to mention they were one hundred percent yummy.

Never Been Good is Flynn's story. Over the past few months, Flynn has accumulated a decent amount of guilt and regret. He's the reason why the Maguire boys had to change their identities and enter Witness Protection. But the part that kills him the most? He had the "safe" job for the mob - the one that was by the books.

Flynn's attitude and reluctance to acclimate to his new life was a big portion of Bad for Her, and during that time, I came to really like him. Yeah, he had some major sass and cockiness, but it was understandable. I think anyone would feel the way he did in his shoes. In Never Been Good, Flynn finally starts to turn his life around again, letting the anger be replaced with happiness and maybe even hope. I loved seeing Flynn slowly come out of his self-imposed hibernation. He was a guy that had so much to offer, especially when it came to the bar and the town's festival. Honestly, I think Flynn may be my favorite Maguire boy yet! He has definite sexiness, but he also has sweetness (the way he was with the town's children as well as Sierra was swoon city!) and determination. Three qualities I always love in my heroes.

A big part of Flynn's attitude adjustment is thanks to Sierra Williams, a young twenty something that's also let her past get the best of her lately. Just like Flynn, Sierra's living life but she's not really living life. She's going through the motions, hoping to not catch anyone's attentions, and lost in her own thoughts. I enjoyed reading from Sierra's POV. Even though she gives some major stand-offish vibes, you can still tell how sweet and willing to help she is. I also loved that her artwork was such a major part of the story. It was nice to see a character so incredibly passionate about the work that they did. Over the course of the book, Sierra slowly comes out of her shell as well, and I loved the progress she made. I was cheering for her the whole way through, especially when it came to getting the man.

Never Been Good's plot mainly involves Sierra and Flynn's romance. I thought that Christi did a fantastic job of developing the romance. It wasn't too fast nor too slow, and I especially liked how she built up their banter and friendship up first through text messages. Their conversations were one of my favorite parts of the book! I also liked that Sierra and Flynn never wanted to change each other; instead, they focused on helping one another see what had been there all along. It was heartwarming to say the least - nothing was better than seeing these two take on the world together! In addition to the romance, there are also updates regarding the upcoming trial. I enjoyed seeing Delaney again, especially when she yelled at the boys to be good. Things even got slightly dicey at the end, which made me even more unwilling to put this book down. Additionally, Sierra's past also became a tiny mystery as well. While I figured the majority of it out half-way through the book, I still found it to be an enjoyable storyline. It added layers to Sierra's character.

My only compliant? I wish there had been more moments between all the brothers.

Overall, Never Been Good yet again proves that the Maguire boys may be trouble but they also have a lot of good to them as well! I can't suggest this series highly enough. Now if only September would hurry up...

4.5 stars!!

About the Author:

USA TODAY bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series.

Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.