Better When He's Bad by Jay Crownover

Author: Jay Crownover
Publsiher: William Morrow
Date of publication: June 2014

Sexy, dark, and dangerous, Bax isn’t just from the wrong side of the tracks, he is the wrong side of the tracks. A criminal, a thug, and a brawler, he’s the master of bad choices, until one such choice landed him in prison for five years. Now Bax is out and looking for answers, and he doesn’t care what he has to do or who he has to hurt to get them. But there’s a new player in the game, and she’s much too innocent, much too soft…and standing directly in his way.

Dovie Pryce knows all about living a hard life and the tough choices that come with it. She’s always tried to be good, tried to help others, and tried not to let the darkness pull her down. But the streets are fighting back, things have gone from bad to worse, and the only person who can help her is the scariest, sexiest, most complicated ex-con The Point has ever produced.

I have really enjoyed the Marked Men series by this author.  So when I saw a new series starting by her, I was excited to dive right in.  While I enjoyed the book, I didn't love it as much.  To start, this series is a bit darker than the other one.  In the foreword, the author says she wanted to create a truly "bad boy".  Being an ex-con, Shane is a bad boy.  Recently released from prison, he finds out his best friend has gone missing.  With the help of Race's younger sister, he tries to track him down to reconcile what happened the night he was arrested.

I liked the mystery part of the book.  The hunt for Race and the truth of what happened 5 years before was well written and intriguing.  I liked the little twist about the bad guy at the end.  I also thought that the last scene was pretty intense and made me hold my breath.  

What I didn't like too much was the chemistry between Dovie and Shane.  It never really went beyond lust for me.  I also got tired of Dovie always talking about Shane vs. Bax.  By the end, I think I got that he could act like two different guys.  It got a little old. The epilogue did go a long way toward making me buy into the relationship a lot more.

So, if you are going into this series expecting the boys and vibe that you get in the Marked Men series, you won't find it here.  I think fans will like this book.  I'll check out the next one. I was a bit disappointed in end with Race's decisions.   I'm just hoping that he has a change of heart in the next book. I'm not sure how I will like a truly bad boy who can't turn himself around.