Tasty Delights--Hangover Hash + Review--Bringing Home the Bad Boy by Jessica Lemmon (@ForeverRomance)

Evan Downey needs a new beginning. Since the death of his wife five years ago, the brilliant tattoo artist has shut himself away in a prison of grief that not even his work can break him out of-and what's worse, Evan knows his son Lyon is bearing the brunt of his seclusion. Moving back to the lake town of Evergreen Cove where he spent his childhood summers is his last chance for a fresh start.

Charlotte Harris knows she owes it to her best friend's memory to help Evan and his son find their way again, but she can't stop her traitorous heart from skipping a beat every time she looks into Evan's mesmerizing eyes. Charlotte is determined to stay strictly in the Friend Zone-until a mind-blowing night knocks that plan by the wayside. Now, if they're brave enough to let it, Charlotte and Evan might just find a love capable of healing their broken hearts . . .

Type: Contemprary Romance
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

So. Basically from page one of Bringing Home the Bad Boy I was totally smitten and seriously wanting to know these people in real life. Everything about this one just...did it for me. It was just perfectly delicious from food to romance to chemistry and happily ever after. Total reader girl bliss.

The quick of it is that years ago Evan and Charlie both lost someone important to them...a woman named Rae. Evan's wife and Charlie's best friend. They've had to fight their way back to life after the loss that ripped their lives apart and part of doing so brought Evan and his son to Charlie's doorstep. Or, rather, the house next door to her. And it's stirred up all kinds of interesting feelings between them that go way beyond just friendship and being someone's shoulder to cry on.

These two! I absolutely loved them. Evan is a single daddy trying to balance everything in his life--being a good father, his career as an artist, falling in love again and letting go of his past. He's sexy and sweet and can be a little broody when dealing with things--nightmares about his wife, etc. And Charlie was a wonderful heroine. She's giving and loving and pretty easy to like even if she does get a little insecure now and again (it's pretty understandable why though, really).

"I can't"--her hand covered his tweaking fingers on her breast through the material of her dress--"I can't concentrate on the Johnsons with you doing that."

"Doing what?" He pinched her nipple, then let up.

She gasped, her head falling back. "That."

"Seems fair," he said. "I can't concentrate on anything but my johnson while I'm doing this."

Clucking her tongue, she breathed, "Crude."

"What else am I supposed to call it?"

"Um...I don't know."

"Bet you do." He continued kissing her neck, slipping his other hand into her dress and massaging her other breast as well. She tilted her head to give him more access. He took it, exploring the length of her neck with his tongue. 

"You prefer cock?" he whispered when he got to her ear.

"Every chance I get," came her sultry reply, followed by laughter letting him know dirty talk wasn't something his sweet girl was normally into.

He nipped her neck. "Know what I like?"

Her breaths shortened as he took one hand from the inside of her dress, spread her legs, and slid his fingers along the inside of her right thigh.

Licking her ear, he whispered in his quietest voice, "Your sweet pussy."

Her head snapped up. "Evan!" But the scolding came in the form of a hot, expelled breath. Yeah. She liked that, too.

"Would you prefer..." He glanced around as if he was thinking. "Love mitten?"

"Love mitten?" That sultry laugh again. He loved that laugh.

The romance between these two was hearbreakingly sweet (and pretty damn hot to boot). They have a lot to get past--namely guilt over Rae and Charlie feeling like she was stealing her best friend's family-- but once they do holy! It's not entirely smooth sailing since doubts creep in now and again but it's honest and real and damn it was just a lovely romance to watch unfold and grow. These two really are each other's support and love each other entirely. The sex scenes are scorchers but still bring in some fun, some creativity and even a touch of realness--leg cramps!

And then there was Lyon. Evan's 7 year old son. Who was adorable and made my heart ache. He's a cutie and seeing him with both Evan and Charlie was very touching and sweet. How much they both adored him and how Evan struggled to do the right thing by his son and his insecurities of failing him because of his career and how he could get wrapped up so easily in it.There's really nothing I'd change about

Bringing Home the Bad Boy, well, other than I could have spent another 100 pages with this group...easily. They're people you'd want to hang out with. Ones you'd want to love and that would easily make you smile even on a hard day. I laughed, cried, snorted so hard it hurt, grinned like a fool and had to fan myself things got so hot. Not a bad combo at all. Lemmon did a damn fine job that's for sure. 

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More Lemmon on herding cats
Review--Tempting the Billionaire (Love in the Balance #1) 
Review--Hard to Handle (Love in the Balance #2)
Guest Post

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Evan's Hangover Hash for Two

4-5 new red potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed

1/4 of a green pepper, cubed

1/4 of a sweet Vidalia onion, cubed

olive oil

2 eggs

sharp cheddar cheese

2 slices of multigrain bread

• Place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Cover with lid then bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the lid and continue cooking 12-14 minutes until you can stick the tip of a knife in a potato and it slips off the edge. Remove from water and place on cutting board. When cool enough for you to handle cube them
• Put a drizzle of olive oil in large frying pan and toss in cubed potatoes, green peppers and onions. Cook over medium high heat tossing on occasion
• Put small drizzle of oil in small frying pan and heat to med-high. Crack in two eggs then drop heat to medium--you want runny yokes for this meal so don't cook too fast. Carefully flip so you don't break the yolk.
• Make toast, butter and slice on the diagonal
• Pile seared-to-perfection red potatoes, onions and green peppers on to the center of the plate, sprinkle with sharp cheddar cheese and lay an egg on top. 

(I totally flipped my potatos. Yay!)

And if you made it ALL the way to the bottom of this post...You rock. I know it was a LONG one today. But I just couldn't decide what NOT to include! lol

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