Cleopatra Paige hates one thing in this world – just one – and his name is Zachariah Prince. In grade school, he pulled at her pigtails. In middle school, he spread false rumors about her. And in high school, he ruined her prom. She hates that his smirks are unfairly sexy. And she definitely loathes that his dark eyes seem to follow her everywhere. Sometimes, even in her dreams. It doesn’t … in her dreams.
It doesn’t matter that he’s rich and popular or that he lives in a freaking mansion full of butlers and maids. He’s rude and arrogant, and she wants to stay as far away from him as possible.
But unfortunately for Cleo, she lives in the same freaking mansion as Zach.
Only he’s the prince and she’s the lowly maid who serves him.
NOTE: This is a STANDALONE, full length novel set in the world of St. Mary’s
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OMG!! What a book! This one will give you all the feels as Cleo and Zach’s story unfolds. This enemies to lovers romance is filled with deep, intense emotions, steamy passion ang boatloads of angst. Cleo, was in my opinion, a wonderful heroine. Despite the bullying and the situation that she had to live in, she was strong and sassy. I loved this feisty female and the core of steel that was her backbone. Zach redeemed himself in the end but there was no denying that he did not start out as a good guy. A jerk and a bully, he had plenty of work to do to get in my good graces. There was no doubt that he had that bad boy charm thing going on though. His history and past did make him sympathetic but it was no excuse for his actions and treatment of Cleo. That being said the attraction between these two was magnetic and their chemistry atomic. The banter was clever, the sparks electric and the scenes were intense and very hot. If you enjoy a read that will pull your heart out of your chest, crush it to dust and then let it rise from the ashes like a beautiful phoenix, grab your copy NOW!
Paige and Prince have hated each other since school. She didn’t come from money and rich kids didn’t think she deserved to be here. Prince let the other kids bully her. Prince was from a well off family but his life was far from perfect. He left but now he’s back, what will happen between them now that he’s back?
If he’s a false prince, then I’m his street Cinderella. I don’t need glass slippers or a pretty gown to change our stars. I can do it in my quiet leather boots and my gray uniform.
I liked the play on the Cinderella story within this novel. But whereas in Cinderella, or any fairy tale for that matter, the Prince is there to catch the Princess when she “falls”, so to speak, in BAD BOY BLUES, the girl saves the boy. Cleo (aka Blue) ends up saving Zach, from himself, in the end. You see, Zach viewed love as a weakness and Blue proved to him that love to and from the RIGHT person, isn’t a weakness.
What I enjoy most about Saffron’s stories, is I don’t know what to expect and this book was unpredictable and unique. Also, no matter the story, my intrigue is there and I had that with BBB. Also, there was tons of underlying s*xual tension that I could feel. These two characters definitely had a constant awareness of each other, even when they were “bullying” each other. There was heartbreaking parts that built the story and feelings up and there was some raw moments that made your heart bleed. I enjoyed the dual POV and loved the one special plot twist that Saffron incorporated into the story. THAT part touched on an issue that I doubt many authors think to touch on, but is very prevalent within our world today. This flaw humanized Zach for me and made me love him even more.
“Maybe hate is just love wrapped up in barbed wire. Or, at least, mine was.”
So the reason I am giving it 3.5 stars instead of 5. There were times during the book that I felt a disconnect with the characters….both with myself and between them. Their “relationship” spanned over many years (most of those years were with feelings of hate), but then those feelings rapidly changed to love. Some of it felt unrealistic and had me going “did that really just happen?”, but then other times it had me “wishing upon the stars” for their relationship to work out.
Then there was the fact that this book is labeled as a “bully” romance and I feel as if that wasn’t ENTIRELY true. I felt Zach was more of a “false bully” vs being an all out bully per say. Yes, there were scenes where he was verbally harsh and bully like to Cleo (which ended up being more of a foreplay for them), but mostly he ignored her and/or let others do his bullying for him and in the end that DID work for the story line, it just didn’t sit well with me at times. I felt slightly misinformed.
All in all, I did like this story
“Who am I?” He frowns, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“My prize.”
My back hits the tree and I arch my spine, wrapping my hands around the trunk. “Then, you should claim me. But you should also know one thing.”
“What thing?”
“This prize belongs to you, but you belong to this prize just as much.”
Zach finally reaches me and leans forward to put his palms on the rough bark of the tree. “Yeah?”
I lift my chin. “Yes.”
3.5 “written in the stars” stars
Let me just start off by saying that this author can definitely write one heck of a story. The writing was fabulous and she had me feeling so many emotions for sure.
However, as much as I really really wanted to love this book, sadly it was just so hard to connect with the characters that I never really did. I thought the story line was interesting and it was definitely unique, but with both Blue and Zach so angry all of the time it wasn’t a relaxing book to read, but one that had me feeling these intense emotions as well.
This book is filled with a lot of heartbreak and drama as well as some twists I never saw coming. Blue is angry that her parents were taken from her in a car accident and that she is forced to stay in a place she always planned on leaving. Not to mention, Zach made Blue’s life miserable growing up and now she is working for his family and force to see him. Zach is angry at being forced to come back to a place he hates so much. He is also angry he has to see Blue after all this time.
The two of them are full of so much emotion that they are ready to explode, but, neither one is ready to let go of the anger without a fight. When they finally do neither one is ready for what happens. – By Alisa
Loved this book. While it has the bully aspect this story is so much more.
Seriously go one click this book!
3.5 stars
“In love, you bleed forever.”
I can’t say that Bad Boy Blues is a typical “bully story” as for the most part, the bullying – at least the one to the heroine – was mostly kept in the past. However this story walked a fine line showing that bullying is more than what you expect and where you expect it to happen. It tries to sensitize the reader to watch/read between the lines and to think out of the box.
”It’s funny how people forget that it’s called falling in love. There’s a reason for that.”
The characters come across pretty authentic, most of all Zach. Even if it was not an easy way to realize how he became the man he is, it’s not far fetched and totally understandable.
However I wished I could have connected to the characters on a deeper level. Feeling their chemistry more, to really believe that they where meant for each other. I had no problem believing their attraction, that was sparkling though.
”If he’s a false prince, then I’m his street Cinderella.”
Even though this book is a slow paced enemies to lovers story it kept my mind busy on a high level. It kept me entertained and my eyes glued to the pages from the first chapter to the last.
”Because he is to me what sharp objects are to fragile things. What a flame is to a moth. Destiny.”
Bad Boy Blues is a love story that will surprise you on many levels. If you start it, be open and let its effect sink in, absorbe the emotions and feelings that make this book a special one.
”I want to love you till the end of time. Till the moon goes dark and the stars fade out.”
There are only a few tropes that I love. One of them being enemies to lovers. Lately I’ve been having a hard time finding one I want to devour. You know have that hate turn into all consuming love. Even have the hate turn into hate/love. With Bad Boy Blues, I didn’t struggle with the storyline or the characters. I loved the banter Zach and Cleo had. They felt so much but didn’t know what to do with those feelings. These characters were each others opposite. One knew love and how to should be put into action and the other didn’t understand the first thing about love. I would recommend this read to reader as well as past works from the author.
*This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review*
4.5 Blue Stars!
Bad Boy Blues is an unconventional love story about Zach and Cleo. In high school, Zach used to bully Cleo horrifically. She didn’t go down without a fight though, and was never able to let go of the hate she has for him. However, they meet again a few years later when she is working as a maid at his family’s mansion.
The sexual tension between Zach and Cleo is off the charts. The angst is real. The slow burn is almost painful at times. And Saffron A. Kent did a fabulous job dropping a few surprises along the way, and one big one. I wasn’t expecting it at all.
I absolutely loved how strong of a heroine Cleo was. She was nothing short of a badass! She was so strong, independent, and driven. And Zach, oh sweet Zach. Even though he is a bully, he is also a tortured soul who is longing for acceptance (even though he didn’t realize it at first).
I rated this 4.5 because a few times I was having a difficult time connecting to the characters emotionally. It didn’t take anything away from the story, though…and by the end I was in happy tears. Thank you, Saffron, for being such a damn genius.
Cleo and Zach was sooo good. I loved her and him. Even tho i want to throttle him for how he was i still loved that butthead. Their story was the greatest and i couldnt get enough.
Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and Zach and Cleo’s story is exactly that. I love books where the relationship between the characters evolves from mutual hatred to love. And Saffron A. Kent has created a long way for Cleo and Zach, which is full of sadness, cruelty and bad memories.
Cleopatra and Zachariach are childhood enemies. Cleo through all school years was the object of Zach’s side and his peers torment. However, the day came when Zach simply disappeared. Now, after several years and the tragedy that touched her, Cleo works as a maid in the estate where her tyrant lived. And with his sudden return memories come back. Will Cleo be able to stand her ground in the same way as in the past? Her job as a servant is important for the girl, because only in this way will she be able to achieve the goal that forced her to take this job in the first place…
This story is full of layers that we discover piece by piece. Both in terms of the relationship between Cleo and Zach, but also in relation to the heroes alone. Zachariach is a complicated hero and, as it turns out, he wasn’t born as a mean bastard. His lack of compassion and his cruelty are the result of his own experiences on the part of those who should love him unconditionally. Cleo, on the other hand, doesn’t allow anybody to walk all over her and she gives what she gets. However, a girl with a good heart is hidden inside this tough chick. Zach and Cleo’s mutual relationship is a constant push and pull. Chemistry is electrifying, but they both try to fight it. Zach doesn’t want to love anyone. Cleo doesn’t want to risk a heartbreak. However, falling in love is inevitable if destiny has written their names in the stars, right?
I really enjoyed this read, even though I couldn’t connect with the heroine for the most of the book. Her character seemed to me a bit exaggerated by her obsession with blue color. But where something was missing from her, Zach’s character balanced it. I love such complicated heroes who hide the wounds under the facade of a tough and cruel guy and eventually become worthy of redemption.
Cleo is working toward buying back the childhood home that was taken from her because she couldn’t pay off the debt her parents left when they died. She may be 19, but she’s tough, strong, and independent. And if she can just suffer through enough years as a maid at this mansion, she’ll be set. And then HE happens. HE comes back. Zach. The boy who made her years hell. The boy she hates. She knows he’ll just make her life a further hell now that he’s back, but she has to stick it out and serve him as his maid if she wants her home back. Can she tough it out without trying to exact revenge on the bully her body can’t seem to stop wanting?
Cleo has no idea the hell Zach went through of his own. She has no idea why he really left town three years ago. And she has no idea that he just may see her as something more than a convenient punching bag for his pain and rage. Will she see through his bullying ways and into his soul? Will he be able to give her his heart?
I am sooo impressed with Bad Boy Blues! Yes, it’s reminiscent of Vicious by L.J. Shen. I have to say it because I know a lot of people are thinking it; but Zach and Cleo are not carbon copies of Vicious and Emilia. Zach is a bully yes, and a complete asshole yes, but there’s humanity inside him. He just needed Cleo to bring it out. He needed someone tough and strong to bring out that humanity. And that heart, because he does have a heart, it’s just been encased in layers of pain for too long. So do not let the fact that there are shades of Vicious in Bad Boy Blues keep you from reading, because this is a fabulous story, full of sizzle and emotions and a cast of awesome characters. I love how Zach slowly realized what he’d been feeling, how he came to terms with it, and how he persistently stuck with his plan of showing Cleo how he really felt about her. I loved the epilogue, and Zach’s last bit telling the reader just how he feels about Cleo – it’s a perfect representation of the man he’s become by the end.
*** 3.5 stars ***
Well, this is going to be a hard review to write.
I want to make sure I begin by FIRMLY stating that I LOVE, and I mean LOOOOVE, Saffron A. Kent. I was HOOKED from the first book of hers I read (‘The Unrequited’) and pretty much have loved and enjoyed every book she’s published since.
‘that clear? Yeah?
OK. Let’s move on.
Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the story in BAD BOY BLUES. There were times while reading were I just wanted to give up. I know, hence why I said in the beginning that this review was going to be a hard one to write. However I gotta be completely honest. I’m glad I stuck it out and finished the book because it DID get a bit better story wise but my mind was already made up.
I’m going to end with this: it’s obvious that the story wasn’t for me; can’t love them all I guess. But believe me, this will NOT deter me in ANY way from Saffron’s BRILLIANT writing and heartfelt storytelling. I cannot wait for what Saffron will publish next 🙂
MIND BLOWING SPEECHLESS!! Saffron A. Kent did it again!! I have been a a HUGE Fan of hers from the Very Beginning and Every Time I have NEVER BEEN DISAPPOINTED!! Once you get a Taste of Saffron’s World of Words…There Is NO TURNING BACK!!
BAD BOY BLUES takes bullying to a WHOLE ANOTHER LEVEL!! But Never Judge A Book By Its Cover!!
If you Love an EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER ride of TWISTS AND TURNS INTO the UNKNOWN that Have your Jaw Dropping several times…Bad Boy Blues is your Book!! It has all the FEELS and it’s BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN!!
BRAVO Saffron!! BRAVO!!
Intriguing enemies to lovers story!
Well written, and entertaining, while I enjoyed this story the plot seemed predictable.
3.5 stars!
Bad boy blue is a beautiful story about the lines drawn between love & hate, rich & poor, and victims & bullies. This story continually crosses those lines uncovering truths along the way. We learn quickly that nothing is ever what it seems.
Amongst the plot packed story our characters are also learning to love and overcome fears. This author makes a strong point that we are all scared scarred beings just looking for love and acceptance. This tale is that journey.
“This cycle of bullying that started with his dad. It ends with us. I’ll change our story. If he’s a false prince, then I am his street Cinderella.”
Saffron Kent does a great job balancing the tough aspects of bullying that she tackles in this story with some VERY STEAMY scenes! WOWZA!! Hot for sure!! So many layers to this story, they just kept peeling away! Bay Boy Blues is well written, thought provoking and thoroughly captivating! A definite must read!
I read an ARC of this story. My honest and fair review is voluntary.
The theme of this book was bullying and it’s always a tough subject to tackle. Saffron wrote this story perfectly as she did her others handling touchy subjects. As soon as I’d think “yeah but he did this….why would he be forgiven?” the answer would come later and I go ok I can go with this. Her books tend to be very insta-love(ish) but it never takes away from the story. The characters go thru a lot that you don’t see and I appreciated the lack of flashbacks because it helped keep me in a reading bubble that was hard to break. Zach and Blue had a rough go of it but I enjoyed ever minute of their hot, angsty, and touching love story. Did I say hot? Scorching! Oh these two have my heart. It broke for them and bled for them. The end left me satisfied and I’m anticipating her next book impatiently.
Bad Boy Blue the story of two characters that are enemies but when consequences places them in each others way again the tables have changed.
Wow this book is not only smokin hot but also full of so much angst. Kudos to Ms. Kent for writing a story that you can feel the hate and the chemistry between Blue and Zach ooze off the pages. Every page is filled with so many emotions. Beneath that you learn so much about Zach and Blue, the bullying, the past, heartbreak, and so much more. These are two characters that will have a place in your heart and make you think about them long after you close the book. This story tackles some tough subjects and Ms. Kent does it in a sensitive way.
A great read that is steamy and angsty but is so much more than just a romance.
This story made me fall in love with Zach and Cleo over and over again. Being bullied can feel like it lasts a lifetime. They both lived a lonely and devastating life before coming back together. I honestly loved Zach’s dirty and sexy mouth. And Cleo’s final stand to be a stronger person. Fear can cripple you and take away any rational though process. Two characters who needed each other like the air they breathed. But were too scared to show it . This ending had me a sobbing mess , but was worth every single tear.
Angsty. Steamy. Forbidden. Enemies to Lovers. Bad Boy Blues by Saffron Kent was a delicious slow burn that sizzled with sexual tension and crackled with chemistry between our main characters, Cleopatra “Blue” Paige and Zach “The Dark Prince”.
I loved the angst, the drama, the feels, and OMG the steam!! Cleo and Zach have been at each other’s throats for years. Zach was a bully. He may not have actually done the bullying, but he would incite it and then watch his friends do and say horrible things to Cleo all while he sat back and watched it happen without ever stopping it. But Cleo gave as good as she got. I loved the fight in this girl. She never took shit lying down and I was mentally high-fiving her every time she stood up for herself and had witty comebacks at the ready.
And why do boys have to be so dumb? Why must they need to bully someone only because deep down they’re really in love with that person? I guess I will never understand why people hurt the ones they love, but like the old saying goes… “There’s a fine line between love and hate…” And that statement couldn’t ring more true for these characters ‘cause there were years of sexual tension built up between them until it finally exploded into a fiery inferno of epic proportions!
I did struggle with the first half of this book and had to put it down a couple of times, but honestly, I think it’s more from all the interruptions and distractions I’ve had that prevented me from really sinking into this story, and not because of the story itself. But after I reached the halfway point, I wasn’t putting this book down. I became thoroughly invested in these characters and peeling back each of their layers to see what they were hiding under their thick skin. Zach and Cleo were both damaged, lost and lonely individuals but they grew exponentially within the span of these pages.
And the groveling from Zach…
It left such a sweet taste on my tongue that I indeed savored. I love it when a character has to work for their forgiveness and Cleo wasn’t too quick to forgive, which was probably my favorite part of the book – that, and watching Zach blossom from bully to a worthy hero that I adored.
The epilogue was fantastic. I was definitely satisfied with how this story ended after the bitter battle these characters fought trying to reach their HEA. Saffron Kent created the perfect recipe for this enemies to lovers romance and I can’t wait to read many more books from this author!
A million stars for Bad Boy Blues! Holy hell this book blew me away. Bad Boy Blues is the first book by Saffron Kent I’ve read and hot damn I’ve been missing out!!
The story of Zachariah and Cleopatra is filled with hurt, anger, attraction, self-doubt, and passion. It is the story of two people, from completely different worlds, discovering commonality among each other yet disguising it with hate. This enemies-to-lovers story touches on topics of bullying, abandonment, abuse and self-doubt while showing the reader that no matter who is there for you, YOU are your own hero who must overcome the negativity and CHOOSE to be someone different than what you have been shown or dealt your whole life.
I’ve never highlighted as many passages in a book like I did in this one. This is a story that everyone NEEDS to read. Not SHOULD read but MUST read. By far and away, Bad Boy Blues has been my favorite book this year.