Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE: Bad Ideas

AUTHOR: Alexa Land

SERIES: A Firsts and Forever Story #4

PUBLISHER: Self Published

RELEASE DATE: December 18, 2021

BLURB:

Doctor Theo Koenig is the most annoying man I’ve ever met, and hooking up with him was a terrible idea. It was so hot though that I can’t stop myself from coming back for seconds. And thirds…

Maybe there’s more to this gorgeous man than meets the eye. But will he ever show me what’s behind that cold, angry façade, so we can start building something real? Or is this destined to be nothing more than a regrettable fling?

REVIEW:

“We weren’t casually dating, not by a long shot. This was the start of forever. I was sure of it.”

This book rocks! There are so many factors that make Bad Ideas rise to the top of the list of my favorite Alexa Land novels: the diverse supporting cast, the found family theme, the presence of strong female characters, and darling Lark. But mostly, it’s the leading men that stole my heart – they are the sweetest couple ever. Eventually.

Casey is a pediatrics nurse in the same hospital ward as Dr. Theodore Koenig. Almost everyone on staff thinks Koenig is a wanker, including Casey, who Koenig clearly harbors major animosity toward. Well, enemies-to-lovers is a beloved trope for reasons that include fiery hot, hate sex, and when passion explodes and these enemies get down and dirty, they devour each other. *fanning myself*

Ms. Land has provided very thorough portrayals of her stars. Casey is a special guy, so selfless, lovable, and good. He loves his job as a pediatrics nurse and thrives on helping others, like his sweet, young patients. But he’s sad and lonely now that his brother and his best friend have become a couple. He has embraced his found family while he struggles with the awkwardness of Seth and Eden together.

Koenig – or Theo – is a man you’ll love to hate, but only at first. In reality, he’s complex and compelling, and I could sense he was going to become a remarkable, highly sympathetic character. Vulnerability is what drives his character and it pulled on my heart strings. I got emotional over Theo and couldn’t wait for the story of his past to unravel.

He’s presented as a buttoned up, snide doctor with a god complex. When he shows up later in torn jeans and bare feet, I was floored (and a little turned on). This dichotomy is what intrigues Casey and propels him to find out more about Theo.

“In case I haven’t made it clear, I want you, Theo. I have no idea what you’ve been through in the past, but I can guess it was pretty bad— enough to make it tough to trust people. That’s why I’m totally willing to go at your pace. If you want to kiss me one minute and get scared and pull back the next, I’m not going to judge you. I’m not going to take it personally, either. I’m just going to keep proving to you that you and I belong together.”

The supporting characters are also extremely well-developed. Casey lives in a house with his close friend/co-worker/landlord, Yolanda, her girlfriend, JoJo, and three other young men. They all have distinct personalities and contribute to a warm friends vibe. One of those men, Lark, provides most of the humor in the book. He’s a sweet cam-boy who’s flighty, but also considerate, gracious and wholly appealing. And outrageously funny. The best part about Lark is that he’s starring in his own book, up next in the series. Yay!

In what is a departure for Ms. Land, there are several female characters that shine in this book, including Yolanda, Jojo, and another co-worker, Darice. I loved seeing these well-written, strong young women and their positive influence on Casey. The warm welcome they give Theo is important to his character’s growth. Although JoJo doesn’t have a huge role, her understated representation as a transgender woman is excellent.

Clearly, Casey and Theo’s heart-melting romance is what makes this book wonderful, but there’s another something special I’m finding hard to quantify. With Bad Ideas, Ms. Land has solidified the Firsts and Forever Stories series with a strong found family. In addition to the residents of the hot pink Victorian where Casey lives, this supportive group cleverly includes Seth, Eden, George, and Flora from Tempted. I hope these characters can be integrated into future books to tie the series together, much like Nana Dombruso was used to unite the original Firsts and Forever series. Both series are in a shared universe in San Francisco, but I feel with this book, the new series stands on it’s own. Of course, Nana is still included this time, but to a lesser degree.

Bottom line, Bad Ideas is a great idea for you to read. While I’ve enjoyed every contemporary romance Ms. Land has written, this one’s a little extra special. Highly recommended!

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon