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mdee's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books I've read this year. So good! Great story with well developed characters. I loved Embry, but Brogan definitely stole the show for me. Highly recommended! :))
krystal6's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
tinkcourtney's review against another edition
5.0
Why did I wait so long?
This book has been recommended to me multiple times over the past year or two. I finally got around to it, and am kicking myself for waiting. It was SO good. The only bad part was how impossible it was to put down.
It was very entertaining watching Brogan, the competent, burly bodyguard, fall head over heels for Embry, the snarly young assistant to the guy Brogan is guarding. I had my heart in my throat many times, but the action/suspense was broken up by snark and humor and some amazing sexy times. I strongly recommend this.
This book has been recommended to me multiple times over the past year or two. I finally got around to it, and am kicking myself for waiting. It was SO good. The only bad part was how impossible it was to put down.
It was very entertaining watching Brogan, the competent, burly bodyguard, fall head over heels for Embry, the snarly young assistant to the guy Brogan is guarding. I had my heart in my throat many times, but the action/suspense was broken up by snark and humor and some amazing sexy times. I strongly recommend this.
mikibooks's review against another edition
3.0
Disclaimer: He dejado la lectura m/m por mediocre, en promedio, pero sobre todo por el enorme problema egomaníaco de sus autores. La posibilidad de estar en contato con sus lectores los hace, en la mayoría de los casos, comportarse como auténticos déspotas que no ven más allá de sus narices, que avivan un fanatismo ciego y sumiso, que retroalimenta a su vez la percepción que tienen de sí mismos. Creo que el problema es que buscan crear una sensación de amistad y complicidad para garantizarles ventas en un mercado muy complicado y cada vez más restringido, pero el proceso solo los vuelve más mediocres precisamente en aquello que ofrecen: la literatura.
Así que he decidido leer y sacarme de encima lo que ya tenía comprado.
Bad Jugment es un libro correcto para el género, con una buena caracterización y construcción de personajes, muy buenos diálogos, y una prosa también correcta, aunque innecesariamente larga. Le hace falta una edición que evite la reiteración, y pula la tendencia al espiral de muchas escenas. Por lo demás, es en su esqueleto, un típico libro m/m sobre todo en el romance. Nada para quemarse las pestañas.
ACTUALIZACIÓN:
Ah, otra cosa. Hay dos palabras en castellano. Dos. Y una está mal escrita. No era tan difícil chequearlo. Y además, en un momento hacen referencia a una especie de droga psicodélica, que (oh sorpresa) en EEUU la usan con fines medicinales pero en Colombia solo la utilizan con fines delictivos. Obviamente. Desastre que no puedo dejar pasar.
Así que he decidido leer y sacarme de encima lo que ya tenía comprado.
Bad Jugment es un libro correcto para el género, con una buena caracterización y construcción de personajes, muy buenos diálogos, y una prosa también correcta, aunque innecesariamente larga. Le hace falta una edición que evite la reiteración, y pula la tendencia al espiral de muchas escenas. Por lo demás, es en su esqueleto, un típico libro m/m sobre todo en el romance. Nada para quemarse las pestañas.
ACTUALIZACIÓN:
Ah, otra cosa. Hay dos palabras en castellano. Dos. Y una está mal escrita. No era tan difícil chequearlo. Y además, en un momento hacen referencia a una especie de droga psicodélica, que (oh sorpresa) en EEUU la usan con fines medicinales pero en Colombia solo la utilizan con fines delictivos. Obviamente. Desastre que no puedo dejar pasar.
malabarbie's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
divapitbull's review against another edition
5.0
Bad Judgment was surprisingly entertaining! 41/2 rounding up to 5 stars for likable characters with great chemistry, awesome dialogue and bantering; and an interesting – reasonably suspenseful, original storyline. It does require some suspension of disbelief and I’m usually a staunch critic of implausible plots – but Bad Judgment overall is so well orchestrated I didn’t really mind – I just went with the story. I was initially a bit hesitant because the story is touted for being angsty and melodramatic – which I generally don’t like – and it was to an extent – but not the kind of angsty that has me ugly crying and getting a stuffed nose and going through a box of Kleenex. Truth be told I didn’t really find it pinging very high on my angst-o-meter; although it was certainly at times tense and it dealt with some tough subjects (murder, abuse, attempted rape). Then at other times the bantering between Brogan and Embry had me laughing out loud; and they gave me the warm fuzzies with their cuteness.
Brogan Smith is a 29-year-old former soldier now working personal protection for a company called Security Division. He has a reputation for being drama free and hard to rattle so he gets tapped for the Touring Industries assignment as the COO requiring protection – Joel Henniton - is generally considered to be a dick and Smith can be counted on not to let him get under his skin and punch out the client he’s supposed to be protecting. Embry Ford, 23-year-old Executive Assistant to the dick, does however get under his skin. From the moment, Brogan sees Embry he takes his breath away. But Embry isn’t just stunning; he’s also controlling, nitpicky, neurotic, moody and stubborn. He has a stick up his ass, and doesn’t laugh at Brogan’s jokes, only eats health food and cuts the crusts off his sandwiches and Brogan thinks he is the most ridiculously adorable thing ever.
As time goes on Brogan realizes there’s more to Embry than meets the eye. Even more than the fact that Embry’s playing kept male mistress to his married dick of a boss Henniton. Turns out Embry doesn’t exactly seem enamored with the abusive asshole. And Embry with his natural inclination towards organization and details and ability to terrorize office drones and interns has some other interesting moves up his sleeve as well – like krav maga moves. It’s not long before Brogan is “all in”; despite Embry doing his best to discourage him. But Brogan has one speed when it comes to people he cares about -lack of self-preservation full ahead sucker. Embry is probably the one guy who won’t take advantage of him; or at least he’s trying not to but Brogan is a care taker from childhood and the more he learns about Embry and his shadowy agenda – the more determined he is to help.
Both Brogan and Embry are damaged characters. Brogan had a difficult childhood and added 6 years of additional military induced guilt and some PTSD to the mix. Embry in comparison had a wonderful childhood; despite being painfully shy and struggling to use his words and being freakishly smart – until his entire world was horrifically torn apart in an instant. But when all is said and done –(and make no mistake, there’s a LOT to be said and done) they’re good for each other, they’re good together and there’s a definite HEA.
PSA for animal lovers: There is also an endearing Greyhound named Gizmo that nothing bad ever happens to.
Brogan Smith is a 29-year-old former soldier now working personal protection for a company called Security Division. He has a reputation for being drama free and hard to rattle so he gets tapped for the Touring Industries assignment as the COO requiring protection – Joel Henniton - is generally considered to be a dick and Smith can be counted on not to let him get under his skin and punch out the client he’s supposed to be protecting. Embry Ford, 23-year-old Executive Assistant to the dick, does however get under his skin. From the moment, Brogan sees Embry he takes his breath away. But Embry isn’t just stunning; he’s also controlling, nitpicky, neurotic, moody and stubborn. He has a stick up his ass, and doesn’t laugh at Brogan’s jokes, only eats health food and cuts the crusts off his sandwiches and Brogan thinks he is the most ridiculously adorable thing ever.
As time goes on Brogan realizes there’s more to Embry than meets the eye. Even more than the fact that Embry’s playing kept male mistress to his married dick of a boss Henniton. Turns out Embry doesn’t exactly seem enamored with the abusive asshole. And Embry with his natural inclination towards organization and details and ability to terrorize office drones and interns has some other interesting moves up his sleeve as well – like krav maga moves. It’s not long before Brogan is “all in”; despite Embry doing his best to discourage him. But Brogan has one speed when it comes to people he cares about -lack of self-preservation full ahead sucker. Embry is probably the one guy who won’t take advantage of him; or at least he’s trying not to but Brogan is a care taker from childhood and the more he learns about Embry and his shadowy agenda – the more determined he is to help.
Both Brogan and Embry are damaged characters. Brogan had a difficult childhood and added 6 years of additional military induced guilt and some PTSD to the mix. Embry in comparison had a wonderful childhood; despite being painfully shy and struggling to use his words and being freakishly smart – until his entire world was horrifically torn apart in an instant. But when all is said and done –(and make no mistake, there’s a LOT to be said and done) they’re good for each other, they’re good together and there’s a definite HEA.
PSA for animal lovers: There is also an endearing Greyhound named Gizmo that nothing bad ever happens to.
kaitlin_durante's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my feels. I was recommended this by my friend Amanda who had it gifted to her from another book friend.
I went into it with mildly high expectations because my buddy loved it so much. I was not disappointed.
The characters were unique to themselves and well developed. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that Brogan couldn't take himself too seriously and Embry was so damaged yet kept his sassy quick answers coming even as things became complicated.
This story really threw me a bit because I wasn't expecting the depth and the connections.
This was truly a 5 star read for me!
I went into it with mildly high expectations because my buddy loved it so much. I was not disappointed.
The characters were unique to themselves and well developed. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that Brogan couldn't take himself too seriously and Embry was so damaged yet kept his sassy quick answers coming even as things became complicated.
This story really threw me a bit because I wasn't expecting the depth and the connections.
This was truly a 5 star read for me!
haletostilinski1's review against another edition
5.0
Ohhh man, why did I take so long to read this???!!! I'm kicking myself right now!
Probably because I read Bell's other book first and while I did really really like it, some things bothered me and also this book seemed dark, with what the blurb said - and it was, but it wasn't a disturbing kind of dark, imo - so I guess I was hesitant to read this.
But I shouldn't have been, because THIS. WAS. AMAZING.
I feel like it is usually the opposite of how it has gone for me with this author - usually, I feel we read this new to us author and we LOVE that first book, but then the next one, and maybe more, don't quite hold up to the one book that made you fall in love with the author in the first place. But here, for me, I liked this author after the author book I read, but this made me LOVE her.
Everything about this book, I loved it. I mean of course the bad guy that Embry is forcing himself to bed in order to get close to take down him and others for what happened tragically in his past is not fun to read, at all. And things do happen that made me uncomfortable, like. But that scene never detracted from the book, didn't make it worse, imo. Hard to read, yes, but not worse.
The first part of this book is told from Brogan's POV, and I loved Brogan, but I was itching for Embry's POV well into the first part because not only was Embry fascinating, he was also so closed off most of the time that it was hard to tell what he was thinking. But we eventually get to his POV and it was so interesting.
Embry is 23 years old in this book, but he went through such a horrific and devastating tragedy that it changed him forever. He rarely spoke before the tragedy because of his extreme shyness and anxiety, and after it isn't so much anxiety or shyness that keeps him so closed lipped, but his anger and grief and need not to let anyone in.
But then Brogan comes along, and he messes everything up - in the best way of course ;) - and we get to see more and more glimpses of Embry from before and it twists Embry up inside because Brogan got past his walls and settled in them without Embry realizing it and he doesn't know how to deal with that.
And Brogan is 29 years old, ex-military turned security/bodyguard, and the company he works for is hired to protect Joel something or other, the bad guy that Embry is letting bed him all the time - for purposes you find out as you read along. Embry is the assistant to the guy at a ~supposedly legal selling of guns type company - and you can all guess how some sales are not so legal from that.
But Brogan is paid to protect the piece-of-shit Joel, but begins to really want to protect the man he's falling for, Embry.
And as they fall deeper in love, the harder it is for Embry to go forward with his plan, because Brogan reaches him in a way he never thought he'd be reached again.
It hurt me as much as Brogan those times when Embry would force himself to shut off his emotions and all his wants and needs and treat Brogan almost robotically, but I loved when Embry couldn't hold that mask for long around Brogan.
I loved this story, I was riveted from the very first page and couldn't put it down - only much needed sleep forced me to put it down and RL obligations.
This story was well written, it was intriguing, Embry and Brogan had amazing chemistry - and let me tell you, the sex? THE SEX! holyyyy shitttt, soooo hot. Like *fansself*. Especially their first penetrative sex scene together...that was one of the best sex scenes I've read probably since the sex scenes written in Hailey Turner's metahuman series (mostly with Jamie and Kyle).
Also the connection these two shared, seeming them slowly fall in love, the author giving them scenes where they were getting to know each other, getting scenes where they talked...it was beautiful.
One of my favorites, for sure. HIGHLY recommend if you haven't read this yet :D
Probably because I read Bell's other book first and while I did really really like it, some things bothered me and also this book seemed dark, with what the blurb said - and it was, but it wasn't a disturbing kind of dark, imo - so I guess I was hesitant to read this.
But I shouldn't have been, because THIS. WAS. AMAZING.
I feel like it is usually the opposite of how it has gone for me with this author - usually, I feel we read this new to us author and we LOVE that first book, but then the next one, and maybe more, don't quite hold up to the one book that made you fall in love with the author in the first place. But here, for me, I liked this author after the author book I read, but this made me LOVE her.
Everything about this book, I loved it. I mean of course the bad guy that Embry is forcing himself to bed in order to get close to take down him and others for what happened tragically in his past is not fun to read, at all. And things do happen that made me uncomfortable, like
Spoiler
Embry is almost raped by the bad guy late in the book. It's horrible to read and I was SO scared it would be a full on rape scene. But Embry fights his way out of it and unleashed his badassness. Although the event still damaged a damaged Embry even further.The first part of this book is told from Brogan's POV, and I loved Brogan, but I was itching for Embry's POV well into the first part because not only was Embry fascinating, he was also so closed off most of the time that it was hard to tell what he was thinking. But we eventually get to his POV and it was so interesting.
Embry is 23 years old in this book, but he went through such a horrific and devastating tragedy that it changed him forever. He rarely spoke before the tragedy because of his extreme shyness and anxiety, and after it isn't so much anxiety or shyness that keeps him so closed lipped, but his anger and grief and need not to let anyone in.
But then Brogan comes along, and he messes everything up - in the best way of course ;) - and we get to see more and more glimpses of Embry from before and it twists Embry up inside because Brogan got past his walls and settled in them without Embry realizing it and he doesn't know how to deal with that.
And Brogan is 29 years old, ex-military turned security/bodyguard, and the company he works for is hired to protect Joel something or other, the bad guy that Embry is letting bed him all the time - for purposes you find out as you read along. Embry is the assistant to the guy at a ~supposedly legal selling of guns type company - and you can all guess how some sales are not so legal from that.
But Brogan is paid to protect the piece-of-shit Joel, but begins to really want to protect the man he's falling for, Embry.
And as they fall deeper in love, the harder it is for Embry to go forward with his plan, because Brogan reaches him in a way he never thought he'd be reached again.
It hurt me as much as Brogan those times when Embry would force himself to shut off his emotions and all his wants and needs and treat Brogan almost robotically, but I loved when Embry couldn't hold that mask for long around Brogan.
I loved this story, I was riveted from the very first page and couldn't put it down - only much needed sleep forced me to put it down and RL obligations.
This story was well written, it was intriguing, Embry and Brogan had amazing chemistry - and let me tell you, the sex? THE SEX! holyyyy shitttt, soooo hot. Like *fansself*. Especially their first penetrative sex scene together...that was one of the best sex scenes I've read probably since the sex scenes written in Hailey Turner's metahuman series (mostly with Jamie and Kyle).
Also the connection these two shared, seeming them slowly fall in love, the author giving them scenes where they were getting to know each other, getting scenes where they talked...it was beautiful.
One of my favorites, for sure. HIGHLY recommend if you haven't read this yet :D
missawn's review against another edition
2.0
I disliked this book intensely. As the plot unfolded I could not help getting increasingly uncomfortable with the MC's actions and motivations ... and how they tried to justify some pretty terrible things in terrible ways.
First, this book gives a whole new meaning to inappropriate workplace relationships (so if that is not your thing, best stay far, far away from this one).
Then you have one deeply damaged MC in need of saving and in swoops in saintly, exceptionally good MC who gets rapidly and hopelessly smitten. The ILY comes really quickly and without a whole lot of chemistry. I just found the whole premise of this book to be deeply, deeply disturbing ...
There is murder, attempted rape, attempted murder, physical assault etc. It was dark, unpleasant and upsetting. Its too bad because the bones of this story were intriguingly interesting and the writing is strong. But I could not reconcile my intense distaste and dislike of the MCs (both with distractingly weird names BTW). Troubling, disturbing ... not a fun read ...
First, this book gives a whole new meaning to inappropriate workplace relationships (so if that is not your thing, best stay far, far away from this one).
Then you have one deeply damaged MC in need of saving and in swoops in saintly, exceptionally good MC who gets rapidly and hopelessly smitten. The ILY comes really quickly and without a whole lot of chemistry. I just found the whole premise of this book to be deeply, deeply disturbing ...
There is murder, attempted rape, attempted murder, physical assault etc. It was dark, unpleasant and upsetting. Its too bad because the bones of this story were intriguingly interesting and the writing is strong. But I could not reconcile my intense distaste and dislike of the MCs (both with distractingly weird names BTW). Troubling, disturbing ... not a fun read ...