The Bad Boy Next Door

by Jody Holford

This will bring a smile to your face on even the gloomiest of days.

Shay is ready to get out from under the thumb of three older brothers that don’t seem t know or care about the term personal space!

And in order to prove a point and live her own life, her own way, she realises that she needs to move on and show them that she can stand on her own two feet, so she sets a plan in motion and moves Boston!

Now, I was a little torn on this, I mean she admits that they have mollycoddled her all her life, constantly looking out for her and spoiling her, yet she ups sticks and moves into her own apartment in the city and plans to set up her own business, as if it’s a walk in the park…really!!  Nothing like meeting the world head on!

But while she may have thought she had all her bases covered, one thing she isn’t plan for or expected was the broody bloke next door. Wyatt Daniels was far from straight forward and from their first run in (literally), there was a glimmer of interest that started to flicker.

Wyatt is a detective who has spent a significant period of time undercover and some of the events that he experienced during that time have left their mark, he is currently trying to find his feet back in the real world so to speak but it isn’t easy and that results in him being far from communicative. Psychologically he had a way to go before he was comfortable with not only his surroundings but society but for some reason his new neighbour had piqued his interest. I really liked Wyatt, he brought out everything I wanted to read about, he was a tough as old boots but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t a soft centre lurking under that protective, alpha exterior, there was he just wasn’t quite ready to let the outside in just yet and that include Shay.

I liked the fact that he was trying to keep her at arm’s length (although it did get a little frustrating at times) even though it was blatantly obvious that there was something or at least the possibility of something between the two of them, he just didn’t feel that there was enough of him that was fit and healthy enough to commit to a relationship yet…well you know what Wyatt, you had better saddle up because fate was having none of it!

Once the story gets going there is a lot to like about Shay, she’s determined and resourceful, more than I thought she was going to be. Although darn she can dig her heels in, she is as stubborn as they come.

But there is more to this story than just the two of them, there is enough angst and attitude to keep you glued to the pages, the whole mystery attacker thing had me guessing and the other tenants in the apartment block also added a colour of their own to the storyline. I thought the author presented a story that ebbed and flowed but all the while it continued to hold my attention. The pace was one that allowed you to roll with the events as they happened without having to back track to find out what you had missed but ultimately this was a story of chance, of opportunity and facing and breaking down barriers. Of accepting that sometimes fate holds the key!