365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #151

The Big Bad Boss - Susan Stephens
Mills and Boon RIVA
Harlequin UK, 2011
ISBN: 9780263883824





My rating





From the back cover:

"Heath Stamp was a very bad boy growing up. If there was a fight, he fought. If there was a woman, he took her to bed. If there was a sweet, innocent girl with big doe eyes - he ran a mile. Bronte Foster-Jenkins sure as hell isn't looking at him with big doe eyes any more. Instead she's shooting daggers in his direction.
All grown-up, Heath is rich, arrogant and ready to raze his family estate to the ground - even if Bronte will do anything to stop him. He'll do it with a glint in his eye and happily take her down with him. For, make no mistake, Heath Stamp has gone from bad...to irresistible!"


I have been raving about the RIVA line and how good it is for a while now, and I can honestly say all the books I have read from this line so far, I have loved. But sadly, this is the first one I did not enjoy.

The hero Heath is a successful software engineer and former youth offender. After a rough childhood his wealthy uncle offered him a place at his country estate where he ran a sort of rehabilitation scheme for troubled young boys. The heroine Bronte was the daughter of the estates housekeeper and they had become young friends. Years later, Heath has discovered his uncle has left him the estate in his will, although now it is very much in disrepair. He travels up to decide what to do with it and also get some closure on his past, where he meets Bronte again. Bronte is now a grown woman who has just returned from studies and travelling. She wants to help Heath restore the estate to it's former glory and get a job as the estate manager. She knows she has a job on her hands to convince Heath and as they spend time together they both have to fight the intense attraction between them.

I'm sorry, but I really didn't like this story. I spent most of the book not really understanding what was going on. The narrative and dialogue seemed very erratic and seemed to jump around a lot, I found myself re-reading many sections to see if I had missed something. I didn't really care for either character, they were both too self absorbed in their own worlds. Also, the book is set in Yorkshire... the hero is called Heath... the heroine is called Bronte... that's about as subtle as a brick.

A story that doesn't really make sense and moves slowly. Disappointing.

Xx