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 … 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.
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Flynn Maguire is feeling pretty sorry for himself. After being placed in Witness Protection for turning against the Chicago Irish Mob after they turned on him, he and his brothers are now stuck in a tiny, yet quirky town in Oregon. He’s glad to be alive, but bitter that he’s never had a choice in where his life would go whole working for the mob or now that he is in WitSec. His only current pleasure . . .his secret crush on his coworker.
Sierra Williams is a woman on the run from her past. She’s made it to Bandon, Oregon, and wants to put down some roots. She’s got it bad for her super sexy co-worker, Flynn, but she knows she can’t fall for a bad boy again . . . . except maybe he’s not such a bad guy after all.
Flynn and Sierra are falling fast and hard, but their relationship is built on such a pile of secrets that it’s bound to come tumbling down. Will Flynn and Sierra be able to move past their baggage to live in the now or will their pasts keep them from a future together?
I’ve been not so patiently waiting for the next Maguire brother’s story, and Christi Barth didn’t disappoint. Flynn is carrying around the weight of the world on his big and strong shoulders. He feels tremendous guilt that it was his fault he and his brothers had to give up everything they had ever known to go into Witness Protection. He’s moody and spiralling down fast . . . until one woman’s smile causes him to stop and truly look around him to help him realize that perhaps things aren’t as bad as they seem and that just perhaps he can be happen in his new life.
Sierra is a beautiful, talented and brave woman. She’s running scared and for her life, but she’s ready to put down new roots and make a stand. She can’t help but to fall for Flynn and all the care and charm he hides under his moodiness. The more time they spend together, the quicker they fall.
Flynn is willing to risk his happiness, though, to make sure that Sierra is safe. It says so much about his strength of character and I fell in love with him even more! Now, it’s up to Sierra to see if she can leave her past behind while accepting Flynn’s and moving to a future. It’s intense and emotional and I couldn’t hope but to root for a happy ever after.
I also fell in love with the brother’s witness protection handler, US Marshall Delaney Evans. Her human side definitely shined in this book and the teases we saw of her and Kellan tantalize at what the author has in store for the final book in this series.
Never Been Good was a fabulous read. While it can be read as a standalone, do yourself a favor and snag book one Bad For Her to learn about Flynn’s older brother Rafe and his love interest.
Letting go of your past and trying to trust when it’s been broken is never easy, but it sure is an emotional ride and a gorgeous ending when you get there! 5 stars.
I loved getting to know a little bit about the Maguire boys in Rafe’s story Bad for Her, and now it’s Flynn’s turn in the spotlight.
All 3 Maguire brothers are having a difficult time adjusting to their new lives in WITSEC far away from Chicago and the Irish mob Flynn and Rafe used to work for. Flynn is taking it particularly hard because both his brothers gave up everything they knew to keep him out if jail for a crime he didn’t commit. He has a less than sunny attitude to say the least, but the one bright spot in his nights bartending is the quietly beautiful Sierra.
Little does he know she is hiding a secret of her own and she is on the run from mistakes of the past. Her outlook on life and way of viewing the world in full living color is slowly brightening his dark and surly attitude. Flynn can’t help gravitating toward her despite his determination to avoid attachments in the face of the uncertainty surrounding his future after he has to testify against his old boss.
Of course Sierra has similar fears, but they soon become inseparable anyway as they connect in a way neither expected. They are putting down roots despite their best intentions as they make friends and integrate into the community working at the bar, participating in the Cranberry Festival planning, giving self-defense classes and indulging in girls’ night in Sierra’s case. They also each separately know a day of reckoning is coming, but the real test is going to be when they reveal their secrets to each other.
I loved seeing Flynn’s transition from a cranky grizzly bear to the lighter, more fun loving version of himself who is the reason his brothers call him the heart of their little family that keeps them going. Sierra has a beautiful heart and an artist’s view of the world, but she also has strength and determination that keeps her moving forward despite the fear that has her constantly looking over her shoulder. They face some adversity before the end of the story, but overall Never Been Good was a fun, sweet and sexy read. Little brother Kellan is the last Maguire standing, but sparks have been flying between him and their US Marshal handler since day 1 and I can’t wait to see how that plays out!
A bad boy has never been as good as Flynn Maguire. Loyal, caring, and sexy as all get-out, he swept me off my feet right alongside Sierra. With a hint of suspense and a healthy dose of banter, NEVER BEEN GOOD and the Maguire brothers have stolen my heart.
Never Been Good by Christi Barth is book Two in the Bad Boys Gone Good series. This is the story of Flynn Maguire and Sierra Williams. I haven’t yet read the previous book so for me this was a standalone book.
Flynn and his other brothers are starting a new life after his brother Rafe turned state evidence on the Chicago Irish mobster. Rafe wanted to protect his brothers after the main boss tried to pin something on Flynn Now they are trying yet another life in the Witness Protection Program. Flynn is now a bartender who can’t seem to keep his mind away from Sierra a waitress there. Sierra too is running from her past life and tries to keep her eyes from Flynn but their attraction is to hard to resist…but can they have a future with their past not far behind?
Great exciting romance!
*3.5-4 Stars*
ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.
I like this series, and these brothers, but this one felt like it was a bit slow for me. In one way, I understand why both Sierra and Rafe were feeling each other out, and getting to know each other as best they could before getting their hearts involved, but at the same time, it did seem to drag on occasionally.
I do like both Rafe and Sierra as characters, and they were perfect for one another. Rafe is a sweetie deep down, and he really feels things. He was easy to like once he started being himself and accepting their new situation.
There’s a few moments where you have the sense of danger, but overall this is a story about the two main characters learning to trust one another, and trust themselves again as well. For the most part its light and a teasing story of growing romance and their growing bond.
I really like the Maguire brothers and the people of this little town that they have been plopped down into. I’m definitely keen to read Kellan’s story, and I think his will be my favourite.
I would start this one from the beginning of the series, rather than reading out of order.