Diary of a bookworm

Bad Boys Break Hearts – Micalea Smeltzer

Content Notes:

Published/Pages: 2020/436

POV: Dual – Hero & Heroine

Trope: Friends to Enemies to Lovers

Goodreads Bookshelves: baseball romance, contemporary romance, enemies to lovers, college romance

HEA: Yes

Steam Level: Extra Steamy

Swearing: Adult

Trigger Warnings: Alcohol, Anxiety, Bullying, Death, Suicide

My Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Book Description: Mascen Wade, star pitcher of the Aldridge University baseball team, is a lot of things. Rich. Hotter than sin. The campus’s reigning bad boy. We knew each other once upon a time, but even if I’m named after a princess, it doesn’t mean my life is a fairytale. My plan is to keep my head down, get my degree, and leave this town. But the moment Mascen Wade recognizes me all my carefully laid plans come crumbling down. He’s decided he wants to make my life a living hell. But I’m not so easy to push around and won’t put up with his bully playground antics. Too bad for me I’ve never been able to resist him.

My Goodreads Review (No Spoilers)

My Review (w/spoilers):

Mascen & Rory

This is the first book in The Boys series. However, it’s not the first of the series that I’ve read. I seem to have a knack for reading the last book in the series. I don’t mean to, but my favorite trope is best friends sibling, and the last book in this series is that trope.  

I really enjoyed this book. It was the first time I read a book where the hero is… basically a dick. Haha Mascen isn’t just a grumpy hero, he’s a dick. And it borders on bullying in the book. I can understand why people didn’t like this book. I read so many reviews that said DNF. But I personally liked it. Mascen grows on you. Character development. If you don’t finish the book, you don’t get to see that growth. 

“sometimes love isn’t enough. Surely you get that? It takes action. Being there for someone. Stepping up. Showing them that what they do and who they are matters even if we’re different.” “Actions speak louder than words,” she murmurs -rory

I will say, Also, I’m dyslexic and had a hard time reading Mascen’s name. I kept reading it as Mass-ken. Oh well. Haha

I really liked Rory. She went through it man. Life really enjoyed using her as its punching bag. I liked that she stood up for herself when it came to Mascen, she didn’t just let him walk all over her.  

Rory’s and Mascen reunion was… intense. But again, she was a badass that didn’t let other people affect her. Man, oh man did I feel bad for Cole. He was an innocent bystander. Such a sweet guy that was honestly taken advantage of. The only negative thing I have to say about Rory is that she strung Cole along. BUT he does get his HEA in the next book, so I suppose it’s okay. 

“The happy ending, but the ending is always the beginning, one where you get to write a new chapter, one of your choosing.” I lean down and kiss her, murmuring against her lips, “This chapter is going to be my favorite.” -Mascen

I enjoyed getting to see the other characters. Because I started with the last book, I didn’t get to see as much of some of them, because they graduated. So, I enjoyed seeing interactions with Mascen, Teddy and Cole.  

Altogether, a good read. I would look at my trigger warnings before reading. The suicide is Rory’s dad, and it happened in the past. 

This is book 1 out of 6 in The Boys Series. It is however, a standalone.